Bright Lights
by Peanutbutter1
Summary: HELP!PLEASE!READ THE INSTALMENT AND PLEASE SEE IF YOU CAN HELP..This takes place during the 1st episode of Season 3. Buffy is actually pulled into the hell dimension for a day. I changed the facts so that 1 day in there is 100 years on Earth.The world Buf
1. Anne, Anne who?

**Bright Lights**

By: Peanutbutter

**This story takes place after season 2 and obviously during the Season 3 premier episode.  I changed it a little though so that a day in the hell dimension is a hundred years on Earth.  Buffy falls through and is kept below for a hundred years.  The earth she goes back to is nothing like she remembered it though there are some familiar faces.  **

**Chapter One**

** 'Anne, Anne who?'**

Buffy watched with hazy vision as Lily crumpled to the ground.  Buffy remembered her in flashes.  The blond headed girl who had once worshipped vampires hoping they would take her to a higher plane of existence.  She had always been looking for something better something she just couldn't take hold of.  Buffy gasped as Lily fell to the ground her knees hitting the floor first before she fell to her side her hand stretching out before her.  Her shirt sleeve rolled up exposing half of her tattoo.  The other half belonged to Rickie, Rickie was dead.  She wanted to scream as she saw the pool of blood surround the hopeful blond girl's head.  She laid still her eyes wide open.  She was dead Buffy knew it. 

Buffy had fallen head first through the portal only able to twist herself enough before hitting the ground to strike her shoulder first instead of her head.  Unfortunately her head has still hit the floor with a resounding smack after her shoulder. Buffy blinked as her blond locks once bound back by an elastic fell into her eyes, everything around her was still swimming.  Not only had she hit the floor but someone or something had smacked her across the back of her head.  Her body didn't want to work. 

            "Get to your feet!"

            Buffy turned her head to look at the demon who had spoken.  He loomed over her throwing her body into shadow.  She wasn't thinking clearly as she stumbled to her feet and her eyes settled on her friend. 

            "What's your name?"

            Buffy turned her troubled vision back to the demon only now feeling a little better.  "Buffy," she said without thinking and smiled as the demon's face contorted in anger, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

She realized as she saw the hand holding the metal club speeding for her face that she should have waited until she didn't feel as woozy.  Her reflexes were slow and off and before she could block the blow it struck her in the temple.  She felt the waves of unconsciousness washing over her and then there was nothing.

            "Get up."

            Buffy rolled onto her side and grumbled as something over her continued to shake her shoulder.  The voice was loud and becoming more and more insistent the more she tried to ignore it.  Finally she rolled onto her back and opened her eyes.  At first there was nothing but darkness and she wondered who was waking her up in the middle of the night.  Her head was pounding and she wondered if she was sick. 

            "Wake up."

            A light suddenly hit her in the eyes making her eyes dilate painfully and she squinted into the brightness her hand flying upward to cover her face.  Only when the bright orange glow disappeared from her closed eyelids did she remove her hand and open her eyes again.  She squinted but found her eyes had adjusted there was a girl not much older than herself leaning over her a light mounted to a miners cap on her forehead.

"You have to wake up they're coming back." The girl hissed her eyes wide and frantic. 

            "Who's coming back?" Buffy asked still holding her head as she moved to a sitting position only to hit her head on the ceiling. 

            "You know who, them, the recruiters.  You're new and I guess they're coming to check on you.  You should have been working before hand, but you were passed out or something.  If you don't start working now they'll consider you defective and dispose of you.  I've seen it happen now get to work."  The girl, covered in dirt and soot shoved a helmet into Buffy's hands and pointed out the tools scattered at Buffy's side.  "I've been in the dark for months and I want to get out of here, so work!"

            Buffy crawled to her knees careful to keep her head low and picked up a pick axe.  Bits and pieces of her memory were flooding back to her as she flipped on the light of her helmet.  Her world became a little more illuminated as she looked on the solid rock wall surrounding her every side.  The ceiling was low, but just twenty feet in front of her the tunnel widened and gave way to a wider and taller tunnel.  She listened for a moment and heard a clank and jingle, that most be 'the who'.  She paused for a moment her memory flooding back quickly, the demons, hell dimension, and slave labor.  Buffy's face hardened as she gripped the pick axe tighter and pushed her way out from under the low ceiling.  The girl to her side whipped around and grabbed her arm firmly. 

            "What are you doing?  I told you I want to get out of here if you don't do your work I get stuck down here for another four months!" Her grip tightened and she pulled firmly.  If Buffy had been anyone else she would have been yanked back under, but Buffy wasn't an ordinary girl and she didn't move but wrenched her arm free of the girl's strong grasp. 

            "Well I don't plan on staying in the dark or down here."  Buffy rose to her feet to see four demon guards heading for her.  She wasn't intimidated by their sneers or the jangle of their keys as they swaggered down the dark hall casting a glow on the workers as they turned their head their hats illuminating the workers.  There were hundreds of workers shoved under the low ceiling.  She was unable to distinguish between their tightly packed bodies.  They were all covered in dirt and soot so black that it was impossible to tell whether they were male, female, or even if they were all human.  She was going to change that though, she was going to get them out. 

            "Well look what we have here boys it looks like one of our workers has a complaint." He sneered and raised a large black rod over his head and Buffy could smell the electricity cracking in the air. 

            "I do actually," Buffy announced and pulled on the side of the uniform she most have been stuffed into while unconscious.  "You see this whole loose mechanic look is not good for me.  I mean I look like a man and hey gray so not my color.  The living conditions down here are horrible.  If I don't see any improvement I'm afraid I'm going to have to inform the union." 

            The demon who had originally spoken cocked his head to the side and pulled his pale veiny lips back in a grotesque smile of jagged teeth and black gums.  "What's your name slave?"

            Buffy put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes, "Okay that line is really getting old.  Sure I mean I had problems with the name thing before, but I've got it now.  My name is Buffy Anne Summers and in close inner demon circles I'm known as the Slayer."

            "Wrong answer," the demon raised his stick again blue sparks jumping higher off the stick as he twisted a dial at the side.

            "This is really getting old so instead of having some more of this invigorating conversation I'm going to get out here," Buffy bent down and picked up the small axe she had been given by the girl under the cave wall and tossed it into her right hand.  "You think I can jam this through your forehead?"

            The demon didn't say anything but opened his mouth and screamed running at Buffy with the stick raised.  Buffy's headache was already feeling better and she grinned slightly as she did a flying kick and knocked the stick out of his hand.  Buffy grinned as the weapon rolled away and under the cave wall.  Hopefully someone would pick it up and fight back.  The other three demons rushed her at once and Buffy felt a thrill running through her as she pushed them out of the way and whacked a few in the nose.  She really had missed doing this.  In only moments the demons were unconscious.  Buffy dusted her palms off and looked down the dark cave hall. 

            "So does anyone know how to get out of here?" She asked as she picked up the axe again and found one of the sticks and flipped it on.  "I think it's time for us to break out of here."  It took a few moments but soon a couple of people crawled out from under the cave wall.  She knew it wasn't all of them but it was a few and she really didn't have time to inspire the afraid to escape.  She needed to get out of this hell and close the dimension off. 

            "It's this way," a man crawled in front of her as he straightened to full height.  Even standing straight his back still hunched a little.  His hair was long curling around his ears but the color was hard to determine due to the ash colored shoot that coated his entire body.  "My names is Hamel Rodgers, I've only been here for two days, but I remember where it is I came in from."  He smiled slightly and wiped a little shoot off his cheek.  "That's the last time I take a commute to America." 

            Buffy smiled a little at his thick British accent reached her ears.  It was nice to hear, it reminded her of Giles.  "So two days huh, me I've been her for one, or so I think, I kinda spent most of the trip unconscious.  My name's Buffy Summers."   

            "Well I'd have to say that was fortunate for yourself and for me.  If you had been conscious I'm assuming that you would have gotten out of here without me and I am not very partial to staying.  I do have a wife and children to get back to."  He stuck out of his hand a gentleman even in a place like this.  "Nice to meet you Buffy Summers and thanks."   

            "Wife?" Buffy asked as she followed the dust covered man through the darkened tunnel feeling all the better even after a hard fight.  Her headache was subsiding and Sunnydale was looking more and more appealing. 

            "Yes, I do expect you're not too far from being engaged yourself, a fine woman like yourself, despite the, um," he turned for a moment and winked at her, "masculine display back there.  Did you study in China?  I've seen the style before when a caravan went though England." 

            Buffy mumbled a quick no as she continued to follow him she kept her eyes on her surroundings and pondered over what Hamel had told her.  All of it was a little off.  She cocked her head to the side and wondered if perhaps he knew anything about demons, besides what living down here had taught him.  He seemed a little too calm about it. 

            As Buffy scanned the tunnel her eyes fell on the breaks were dirt streaked faces peered back at her.  Some of them were shackled to the walls others shaking and pressed against the wall.  Did she have time to get them all out, perhaps if she went back to Sunnydale and got some help?  She swallowed and shook her head, she couldn't do that.  She had to depend on herself; after all she had been doing it for an entire summer.  Reaching out Buffy grabbed hold of Hamel's dirty shoulder, pulling him to a stop. 

            "What," he asked, "we have to keep moving I don't imagine well go unnoticed for long, not to mention the bodies you littered the hall with." 

            "I can't leave them here," Buffy whispered as she remembered Lily and way the demon had carelessly snapped her neck.  "I have to let them go." 

            "They're shackled, dear, I don't think you'll be able to let them go, it'll take a bit more time than me have."  Hamel shook his head and indicated the end of the tunnel that was just now coming into view.  "I don't want to be down here for the rest of my life." 

            Buffy ignored him and ducked under the ledge as she reached for a small girl's manacles and pulled.  Within moments the metal snapped and she looked up at Hamel.  "I'm not leaving unless they all come, besides I'm not you're average girl." 

            "So I'm beginning to see," He watched the girl clamber out of the ditch and into the hall.  He turned back to Buffy, "we don't have time to do that to everyone." 

            "I know," Buffy whispered back and moved to the wall where there was a long metal chain latched to the wall.  Buffy wrapped her fists in the chain and shut her eyes as she pulled.  Within moments she heard a groan followed by a shower of dust and bits of rock.  If she wasn't dirty before she was definitely filthy now.  "That's why we're setting everyone free." 

            "I guess you proved me wrong, you did, I suppose we're all gettin' out of here," He reached his hand down toward her and pulled her out of the ditch.  "Now we really have to hurry.  I don't think an empty tunnel will go unnoticed for long."  He started to jog and Buffy fell into step behind him. 

            "Are you telling me this isn't the only tunnel, there's more, how many," just as the words escaped her mouth they stepped out of the tunnel and into a semi lit cavern.  Buffy let her gaze travel across and over and finally up.  The tunnels were never ending there were guards at each door.  There were more people there than she'd ever be able to count, or set free.

            "I'm afraid there are more than you will be able to free," he frowned and cocked his head to the side as he looked at Buffy.  "I don't you are but I have a feeling my wife is going to want to meet you, that and she'll never believe where I've been.  I was supposed to hope the boat back to England yesterday." 

            Buffy was about to ask him why he didn't take a plane when a loud cry rang out behind her and she suddenly felt a push.  The people she'd set free were pushing on her back begging to be let out of the tunnel.  There was something coming, something big.  Buffy grabbed Hamel's arm as he was suddenly pitched forward and almost plunged down the ledge the stick in his hand slipped from his fingers and it went tumbling end over end down the dark cavern. 

            "How do we get out of here?" Buffy shouted over the roar and shuddered as she heard the electric shock sticks shudder and spit.  She could feel the force behind them.  "We just ran out of time." 

            "I remember," Hamel started as he finally began to catch his breath his focus still on the hole he had almost plunged into, "the opening is the third row up, we have to run up the stairs." 

            Buffy looked to her side where the cave spiraled upward to each new level.  Each one ran into a new set of demons.  She couldn't fight them all off and she wasn't sure about Hamel's fighting ability and he had lost his only advantage.  She was going to have to find another way and quick.  Right now she had to get off the ledge. 

            "Let's go!  You tell me where to go!" Buffy called and jumped off the ledge pulling Hamel with her.  It was like a wave behind her and the people she had freed fell forward some falling over the side screaming.  Buffy didn't stop to watch them fall, she couldn't stop, she wasn't going to be stuck here and if she could help it she was going make sure their recruiting business was shut down for good. 

            "Right," Hamel stumbled forward behind her and they started to run.  The screams were deafening as the demons pushed their way, violently, though the people and crowded toward their escape route.  The prisoners started to scream banging their fists and chains against the walls. 

            "There's no other way," Hamel gulped between breaths of air, "to get out of here.  We have to get up the stairs." 

            Buffy watched as the demons crowded down the stairs and began to run at them.  Buffy stopped her heart racing in her chest as she wondered how she was going to get of this.  "Can you fight?"

            "I can fight," Hamel said as he watched the approaching demons his fists balling at his sides, "but I don't think I'm going to be able to fight well enough to push them off of me." He swallowed, "so is your super strength contagious?" 

            Buffy snorted a little, "that would be nice, but no.  Just hold on, I'm thinking." 

            Hamel turned his head to the left and right and started to shake the two of them were going to be torn to pieces, he was going to die and he was never going to see his family again.  This wasn't not how he wanted this to end. 

            Buffy looked to her side to see Hamel closing his eyes and waiting for the end.  She understood why.  She could hear them pounding down on her and they were close.  Her eyes swept frantically over the surroundings trying to find something that would help her.  She finally looked downward into the chasm and saw something spiraling upward.  Buffy squinted and watched it come closer and then a grin spread across her face. 

            "Hamel," she called over the roar of her surroundings, "you ever do a long jump?" 

            "I…I um never went out of track and field when I was in Oxford, but…why are you asking?" He opened one eye to look at her and was shocked by the smile she was flashing him.  "What are you smiling about?  We're about to be crushed!"

            Buffy's smiled widened and she grabbed Hamel's hand, "Jump!" 

            With barely a three step running start Buffy and Hamel plunged off the edge of the cliff toward the black abyss.  Buffy kept her eyes focused on their goal and with a might heave she pulled Hamel forward and the headed right for it.  She smiled and in seconds they smashed into the bottom of the coal cart with a boom and a cloud of dust.

            Buffy got to her knees coughing as she got to her knees.  She wanted to jump for joy and scream, but there was enough screaming going on.  Hamel was still screaming his mouth wide open and his hands flailing in front of his face.  Buffy managed to laugh a little and pulled his hands down.  "Hamel we're fine open your eyes." 

            Hamel's screams died slowly and he looked around slightly embarrassed, "well um where have we landed?" 

            "We're in a coal cart on our way up." She answered.  "I saw the track right before they were on us and thankfully the cart was on it's way up." 

            "Right," Hamel cleared his throat and looked at Buffy very seriously, "you are never to tell my wife about that or my children." 

            Buffy laughed and formed an 'x' over her heart, "cross my heart." 

            Hamel nodded still serious despite Buffy's laughter, "Right, now how are we getting off?" 

            "Easy, when the cart passes our level we jump for it.  I watched the track line and we pass right by the tunnel entrance.  We should get there before our loyal fans do." 

            "Loyal fan?" Hamel asked as he finally built up the courage to look over the edge. 

            "A joke Ham, a joke," Buffy grinned and patted his back.

            He frowned, "please don't call me that." 

            Buffy smiled, "all right lets get out of here.  I think this is our stop." 

            Hamel peeked over the edge and nodded his agreement.  "It is, let's hope they haven't decided to rearrange." 

            The winding coal cart twisted next to the tunnel entrance and Hamel and Buffy both hopped out of the cart and landed solidly on the ledge.  Freedom was in their midst.  This tunnel was different from the others more open and clear.  Buffy remembered standing there just a day ago.  She hadn't known who she was, but she knew now.  She was Buffy, teenager, warrior, and the Slayer and she was going to get out of here. 

            "Come on," Hamel grabbed her arm and pulled her through the entrance, "I'm past ready to get out of here." 

            Buffy followed him through the entrance.  It was surprisingly empty; all of the guards must have been called down after the two of them.  This was going to make for a quick escape.  It didn't take them long to see the portal.  It was on the ceiling swirling in a gray pool of blacks and whites. 

            "This is it," Buffy breathed, "come on I'll throw you through first and I'll be up in a second." 

            "Right then, also if you don't mind I'd like to come off somewhat of a hero when we tell this story.  I'm not really one to be considered a coward." 

            Buffy grinned, "I'll glorify you a little," she winked, "you're wife is lucky to have you Hamel.  You fought your way out of hell to get back to her." 

            He smiled and wiped a little of the dirt off his cheeks.  For the first time Buffy could see the smooth clean lines of his face and the faintest tint of his bright brown hair.  He was very handsome.  "Well let's make sure that happens."  He stepped into her cupped hand.  "Don't throw me too hard now.  I don't want to hit the ceiling on the other side." 

            Buffy laughed, "I'll remember that.  On three, one, two…"  Buffy was about to say three when a chill raced up her spine and she paused.  She heard a whirling sound slice the air and then something warm splashed over her making her eyes shut tightly. 

"What…"  She looked up to see Hamel looking down at her his mouth open and his eyes wide.  There was a trail of crimson running from the corner of his mouth.  Buffy watched horrified as his body seemed to go in different directions.  His torso slid to the left and his legs to the right.  She screamed as she watched the pool of blood widen and finally realized what had hit her in the face. 

            "Nobody leaves here," A voice behind her hissed and she heard hard steps coming toward her. 

            Buffy turned slowly tears already streaming down her cheeks to see the demon responsible grinning at her in his own way, his grin of sharpened teeth making her shudder slightly.  He was holding a thin sword in his hand that glistened in the dull light, her friend's blood dripping off the blade.  Buffy got to her feet her shudders left her and her teeth clenched.  "You're not going to live to get me back down there you bastard." 

            Buffy jumped forward driven by the hatred and rage that boiled insides of her.  Everything was coming to the surface her friend's death, Angel's, Hamel's.  She screamed as she dodged his blows and sword swings.  She was hitting him smacking him and every one of his blows missed their target.  Finally she stood still as he swung at her one last time.  Buffy swung her arm at his sword and jumped up at the same time spinning as she kicked him across the jaw.  The sword shattered and flew to the side and Buffy was on top of him her arms around its neck.  She twisted and heard the dull crack as she snapped his neck he slumped to the ground and Buffy backed away. 

            There were still tears streaming down her cheeks as she reached Hamel's side.  His eyes were still wide as if they could see her and his mouth was slightly parted.  God, he would never get to see his wife again, or his kids.  Biting her lip she promised him silently that she would find them and tell them something.  Even if it wasn't something she could explain.  Buffy stepped around him as she heard the faint steps of reinforcements and jumped upward and the portal swallowed her. 

            Buffy landed on the other side of the portal the tears making her curl into herself.  Why did it always have to end like this?  "I'm sorry." She whispered.  "I'm so sorry." 

            In her despair she didn't notice how her surroundings had changed.  The building around the portal was crumbling charred pieces of the building scattered around her prone body.  There was a putrid stink in the air.  The sky was dark and overcast and around her was complete silence. 

**This is still a work in progress but I've got a couple of chapters done already and a pretty good outline so there should be no reason why this story won't be finished.  Please give me feedback**!


	2. A Familiar Face

**Bright Lights**

By: Peanutbutter

**Note:**  Yeah, I know its season 3 I made a huge typo.  I fixed it on the summary but not on the first chapter.  Sorry about that.  

**Chapter 2 'A Familiar Face'**

~~~~~~~~~~``  

Buffy awoke some hours later.  Her body was stiff as she lifted herself from the rubble she'd apparently fallen asleep on.  The pain was still there, refusing to leave, but she knew from experience that dwelling on it wasn't going to make it go away, after all she not only cried for Hamel and his family last night but for herself.  She'd sent her lover to hell, Hamel was that lover sent to hell and if Buffy could just get one message to his wife…  Buffy sniffed and whipped her nose before crawling to her feet.  One of her arms was still sore and she held it securely to her chest as she looked around.  She was surrounded by darkness.  Given her night vision was better than most humans it as still dark and she was human.  

            The most disturbing thing about the darkness was the all consuming silence.  She had only lived in LA for a few months but she knew one thing, L.A. never slept.  There was always taxi cabs speeding through the empty dark streets, cats fighting in the alleys, people fighting in the alleys, Los Angeles was loud.  Yet here she stood in a building she was pretty sure wasn't sound proof and there was nothing, in fact given the state of the ground she had woken up on something tremendous had happened while she was in hell.  Stumbling forward Buffy walked though the rubble and wood her fingers finally coming to a wall.  Her sense of direction was pretty good and Buffy figured she'd be able to find her way back out.  When she rounded the first turn a light ahead told her she was close and within moments she was the door, except there wasn't a door there anymore.  

            There were remains scattered on the threshold of what might have been a door a while ago, no knob just pieces of wood and the frame was charred black as if it had been burned.  Stepping into the moonlight night Buffy stopped dead.  She could feel the blood draining from her face as she clutched her injured arm closer to her shaking body.  It couldn't be.  It had to be a dream.  Before her were the magnificent buildings that had once littered the streets of L.A. yet they were skeletons.  The glass windows were gone, the roofs rotted and caved inward.  The walls were burned and the stench in the air suggested that the sewers had backed up and spilled their vile contents all over the streets.  The streets themselves were nothing more than broken bits of concrete pulled up and thrown to the side.  There were ripples in the road suggesting a giant wave had run through the middle of the street.  There was no sound.  The silence was complete and deadly as Buffy stepped off the concrete remains of the building's threshold.  The sound echoed in the night making her want to cover her ears and cower.  

            'What happened?' her mind raced as he looked over the damage.  It wasn't just one building it was every building.  The fire escapes that had run from the back of every apartment complex were red and corroded the metal long fallen away except for a few scraps till hooked to the walls.  If she hadn't known they were there before she never would have known what they were.  There weren't any cars parked along the streets. No lamp posts on the corner.  The poles were knocked down adding to the hazard that was the street.  The stark yellow lines that used to separate the lanes were hardly visible.  

            There were so many possibilities as to what had happened that it made her shake with fear.  They could have been bombed.  What if the nuclear residue was seeping into her skin and bones at this very moment eating at her killing her?  If it was a bomb how much of America had been hit?  Was it only California or had it hit somewhere else the after shocks the cause the destruction and decay of L.A.  She didn't know what nuclear warfare would cause exactly but mostly everything looked old and ancient.  

            She shivered again this time not from fear but from the cold.  A sharp breeze blew in from no where making a chill run up her spine and the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.  The uniform they'd stuffed her into was threadbare and she noticed for the first time that she was naked underneath the garment.  It didn't fair well for warmth.  Her hair whipped around her face in a chaotic dance before it finally died down and she was able to move again.  'What was she going to do?'

            "Well look what we have here."  

            Buffy spun around quickly making her entire body pound at the sudden movement.  She held her arm closer to her body as she searched for the source of the voice.  It was too dark and she was too scared.  She backed up a few steps only to hear the voice again, only this time a different one.  

            "It's a little human, all by her little self."  There was a laugh. 

            Buffy turned again and swallowed.  She was panicking.  She wasn't supposed to panic she was the Slayer.  She lifted her chin and cleared her throat, "Are you two going to hide all night or are you going to come out and play?" 

            There was more laughter, "Such threats from a weak human girl," There was a pause before it continued, "and, ah, I smell your blood.  It's rich and healthy.  I can't wait to drink it."  There was a low growl coming from both behind her and in front of her.  

            Buffy knew the odds weren't good.  Whatever it was she was facing obviously wasn't human.  Normally two demons was only a minor irritation but she was injured and she could admit vulnerable.  Her attackers had the advantage and they knew it.  She only had one hope, to get in as many good blows before they realized how strong she was, or worse than that how much weaker she was than usual.

            "Hide and seek is getting really old fellas why don't you two show yourselves before I get bored and decide to leave."  Buffy faked boredom all the while listening for their charge, they weren't taking bait or she couldn't hear them coming for her.  "Olly, olly oxen free!"  Buffy called just as she felt something rushing at her from behind.  Grinning Buffy crouched slightly and waited for the impact.  Moments before the demon was about to plow into her Buffy jumped backward doing a somersault in the air and landing on her feet facing the back of the demon's head.  She didn't hesitate before charging forward.  She threw a flying roundhouse to his head knocking him off balance before gathering all her strength and kicking him in what would be his knee caps, possibly.  She wasn't really sure on that, after all it was dark and she couldn't see them very well.  

            The demon pitched forward at her hits and fell to the ground face first with a mighty boom.  Buffy smiled a little and looked up to see the other demon barreling down on her.  She didn't remember ever seeing a demon like him before.  He was ugly, blue and kind of gray with lumpy ridges around his eyes and red snake eyes.  He was screaming a war cry of some kind as he came at her.  Buffy knew she wouldn't be able to ward him off with his momentum.  She was going to have to try a jump again.  Again she waited and again when he was almost on top of her she leaped into the air and started to twist around.  When she was about to turn up right again she felt a tight grip on her ankle followed by a jerk.  Buffy let out a cry as she was thrown off balance and was unable to stop her descent to the ground.  She hit hard her already injured arm twisting underneath her body and making her wince.  Her head smacked on a sharp rock and she felt the world around her swirling.  

            "I don't like it when they try to fight back," the demon who had grabbed her ankle drew back his massive clawed fist and backhanded her across the face.  She slid backward the gravel biting its way through her clothes and into the delicate skin of her back.  

            Buffy struggled to her feet despite the swollen eye that was already overtaking one side of her face.  This was not turning out well at all.  She stood up again fists rose as she looked to the demon she'd knocked down earlier.  He was coming at her angry, or so she thought distinguishing demon facial expressions really wasn't her forte.  

            "Prepare to die human," the demon that she'd knocked down growled.  Both of them began to charge.  

            She met their punches and kicks her arms and legs flying as she tried to push them back.  She was able to get in a few punches before she began to tire completely.  Her injured arm was screaming and her head was swimming not to mention the sweat was running into her various cuts making her wince.  This wasn't good, not good at all.  

            Buffy stumbled backward when her foot hit a spot of uneven ground.  Her defensive stance fell and the demons took advantage.  The first hit was across the face and then in her stomach her shoulder, her side, her leg, her face again.  Buffy grunted as her knees buckled after a particularly vicious blow and she fell to the ground.  As the blows rained down her and she curled into a ball she knew it was the end. 

            "Ahhhhhh!"  

            Buffy barely acknowledged the new voice that had joined the mix but somewhere in her pain she noticed that the blows had stopped.  Buffy rolled slowly to her back to see the demons know being engaged by a tall man with black hair carrying a bright blue glowing sword.  He fought like something out of a martial arts movie.  His moves were quick and low to the ground and his sword swipes clean and even.  He lobbed off the head of the first demon with little effort and the second only moments afterward.  

            Buffy pulled herself to her feet half delirious as she watched the tall dark figure swim in and out of focus.  She squinted as he sheathed his blue sword causing the blue glow from the sword to disappear.  He dusted his hands off and started toward her.  There was something familiar about him, about his hair his face, his eyes.  She almost started to cry…

            He stopped right in front of her his hand extended to help her up.  He got a serious expression on his face right before he grinned, "Cume vith me if you vant to live."  He said in an obviously fake accent.  He stopped and laughed a little before shaking his head, "nobody gets my humor."  He ran his hand through his mop of black hair. 

             Buffy felt the tears of joy streaming down her face as she stared him. Her mouth opened in a silent scream before leaping at her savior and wrapping her arms around his neck.  "Xander, god I can't believe it's you.  I'm, I don't know what's happening…I got here and…" She trailed off and held on tighter as her body went slack in his arms.  

~~~~~`

            She was beautiful even though she was bruised and beaten, none of the bruises could hide her beauty.  She had remarkably smooth skinned and lovely considering what people looked like, now rough and angry.  She just looked scared and obviously delirious.  Whoever this Xander was he must be important to her.  Trenton shook his head and gathered her in his arms and prepared to take her back to his home.  It wasn't every day you came across a human being living on the surface, and definitely not human that can hold her own against a pair of Farloc demons.  

            It was lucky for her that he was up here scouting.  He hadn't really planned to go to the surface tonight but he was bored and it was either that or doing more research.  He'd opted for the violence after all he hadn't spent all that time training to waste his skills while he got fat and lazy reading books on magic.  Speaking of which he had no magical talent except for that was for Isa and that was entirely magic, not exactly anyway.  As he thought of her he felt a hum start at his thigh where Isa was strapped to his waist and hidden within her sheath.  

            Isa was his sword.  He'd found her years ago buried in a pile of rubble by the old expressway.  She'd called to him begging him to take her back to the refuge and from then on he'd been tied to the sword.  She'd told him her name was Isa and she had a mind and soul of her own.  She never talked to him but he knew she had feelings.  It was weird a sword with feelings but his Isa had strong ones. 

The strangest thing about Isa was that after he'd found her others like her started to show up.  Not only swords but daggers and cross bows that had eerie colored auras.  He was the holder of the first but Isa was not the only one.  In fact in his camp there was Isa (sword), Nell (dagger), Crydon (sword), and Tradora (sword).  They were all bonded to somebody except for Tradora.  Her fiery red aura had bonded with its finder long enough to get back to the camp, but once it had entered the establishment it had refused to glow for anyone that touched her.  Whenever anybody laid their fingers on her smooth hilt her glow and hum stopped and Tradora became silent.  There was nothing scarier than a sword like Isa that had fallen silent.  Trenton hoped that Isa would never go silent.  He didn't know what he'd do without her constant presence. 

She hummed louder as Trenton carried the blond girl in his arms.  Her clothes were covered in dry blood and looking at her injuries he could tell that it wasn't from any of her injuries but she was badly hurt.  Trenton could tell that Isa liked her.  That was odd Isa never liked anyone but him.  

            Trenton shifted Buffy to one side of his body as he kneeled and pulled open the trap door to their underground refuge.  He groaned a little and hopped through the hole and hit the ground landing on the balls of his feet as he absorbed the impact.  Buffy was barely jostled in his arms and Isa banged unsteadily against his leg, her hum was a little disturbed by this and Trenton apologized silently as they headed through the tunnel toward the base.  

            He was going to have to be careful he wasn't caught.  He was seriously breaking the rules by bringing her down their, but if he had left she would have died and Isa liked her that was enough for him.  The entire refuge was an underground base, possibly military before they had set up camp.  There were exactly three hundred people currently living inside, including fourteen staff.  He was considered staff.  Officially he was in charge of patrol and watch between 9 pm and midnight as well as recon occasionally.  He didn't really have a title, but his family for a couple generations back now had been doing this.  

            Trenton was so lost in thought that he didn't see Mika rounding the corner until he slammed right into her almost loosing Buffy in the process and knocking his brown haired friend to the ground her books flying out of her hands and scattering across the hall with a loud echo.  "I'm sorry Mika." Trenton apologized.  

            "Trenton if you'd just watch where you're going," Mike stopped and looked up at the girl cradled in her friend's arms.  "Who's that?" she asked her voice coming off more defensive than she would have liked.       

            "Shhh," Trenton hissed as he hurried past Mika and into his room that was just around the corner.  He pushed the door open and ushered Mika, who was carrying her dropped books into the room.  "Listen I found her outside.  I couldn't just leave her there."  

            Mika's eyes widened, "how do you know she's not.  I mean she could be a spy."  She dumped her books on the small table in the corner of the room and tucked her chestnut hair behind her ears.  Her green eyes were shining with annoyance as she watched Trenton lay the girl on his bed.  She narrowed her eyes.  

            "I caught her fighting demons Mi, and I'm not talking about little Milths or Asetric I'm talking about full grow Farloc's."  Trenton pulled his blanket out from underneath her and tucked the thin blanket around her shoulders.  

            "It looks more like they were using her for a soccer ball."  Mika snorted as he looked over the girl's extensive injuries.  

            Trenton narrowed his eyes, "I'm serious Mi, I saw her fighting them off.  It was incredible. I haven't seen anyone fight like her except, well except for maybe Zarah."  

            Mike laughed out right this time.  "Zarah is a slayer, Trenton, you're crazy.  You know the story there's only one.  I've heard it a million times and not only from our oh so gracious leader, Angel."  

            "Well maybe," he trailed off and shook his head, "there's something special about her."  

            "We can't trust her," Mika repeated, "We don't know where she came from."  

            "Are you going to help me or are you going to go running to Angel?" Trenton growled angrily.  

            Mika sighed as she watched her friend dote over the new girl.  She sighed and walked to the bed where he had pulled the cover down again and was looking at her purpled arm.  "It's a sprain."  

            Trenton looked up, "So it's not broken?"  

            "No, but it'll take a long time to heal.  None of her injuries are really serious except for the bruise on her temple," Mika pointed to it and sighed, "I imagine that's why she's unconscious.  I'll get some medical equipment and meet you back in here okay, right now just let her rest."

            Trenton nodded as Mika started leave, "she's okay Mika, Isa likes her."  

            Mika paused for a moment and swallowed hard, "Isa doesn't like anyone, she doesn't even like me and I have Nell and she doesn't like me."  Mika fingered her dagger belted to her waist and swallowed.  The weapons were very sensitive to each other and while they always sent a welcoming hum to their counter parts they didn't always like the holder.  The fact that Isa liked a stranger better than herself hurt a little bit.  

            "I can't explain it when she's near her Isa doesn't just hum she sings."  Trenton shook his head his brown locks falling in his dark eyes.  

            "I'll be back," Mika smiled a little and left the room leaving Trenton alone with the strange blond girl covered in blood.  

**Yep I said Angel.  He's not the only 'familiar face' though, and before you ask this is most DEFINITELY NOT an Angel/Buffy story.  Things about their relationship will be addressed later; it's not really the main story.  The next chapter is a fun one so keep reading.  Thanks for the feedback!  **


	3. Chapter 3

**Bright Lights**

By: Peanutbutter

**Chapter 3**

~~~~~```

Angel drew Sesa as a last resort sweeping her bright green aura across the night sky as he charged forward and back into the battle he was already covered in the guts and black blood of the pack of demons and the red of the vampires.  He never liked to draw his sword unless he had to.  He prized Sesa beyond anything he had ever owned.  She had brought peace to him when he was hurting.  She'd sealed the gaping hole in his heart making it possible for him to live again.  Her flame grew brighter as he let a cry leave his throat and he sliced one of the demons in half.  She began to hum as he pushed his way into the battle getting more and more lost in the dance that was combat.  When he became so involved and intertwined with her that he could no longer distinguish between himself and her she would sing.  He lived for her song.  

            "Angel we're done, Angel!"  

            Angel whirled around when he felt the hand on his shoulder Sesa singing in his ears as her green aura flared to life stretching upward and giving off a warm yet pleasant heat.  He felt the anger welling inside him subside as he was faced with another sword this ones flame a light yellow.  The flare from the green sword dimmed slightly and Angel let his game face slip away.  

            "It's over Peaches best rein in your uglies we need to get back to camp before the kiddies get a little crazy and over run the place.  If I'm not mistaken you left the little wanker in charge.  I don't much trust him to be objective, or even make coherent decisions.  Not to mention you should watch your blind side."  Spike lowered his own sword dubbed, Crydon, and sheathed the sharp blade with a smirk.  

            "How many did we loose," Angel asked ignoring the crack Spike had made about his injury and the urge to touch his patched eye.  He was finally able to calm himself enough to lower his blade.  

            Spike looked over the field and gave a nonchalant shrug as he looked over the bloody battlefield. "Not too many, lost Michael and Karen," Spike shook his head, "Zarah's over there dancing around a few fallen bodies or something."  

            Angel sheathed his sword, "I think she's praying.  I'm not sure though."  

            Spike shrugged again his ear length slightly curling locks shaking with his movement.  "Doesn't matter really, I'm going to look around see if I can find anything."  

            Angel nodded, "We have a supply you know, you don't have to do this."  

            "I have to get my bite in some way or another.  I feel domesticated when I have to drink from a bag whether it's human or not."  Spike snorted.  

            Angel looked over his shoulder and nodded, "I'm going to send up a crew to take care of our bodies and maybe find a way to process this demon meat."  

            Spike nodded as he headed out over the field leaving Angel behind.  Angel watched him walk away knowing immediately what he was going to do.  Spike was going to drain his own men dry.  He would saunter back into the refuge with lukewarm blood on his lips.  Those who carried the bodies down for burial would never notice.  He was always careful, biting where no one would find, or even drinking for already made cuts.  Spike after all wasn't reined in by a soul or a conscience.  He helped because it benefited him and he considered his reward to drink from the fallen.  Perhaps a long time ago Angel would have stopped him, but not now.  Angel watched bitterly with one eye as the blond vampire disappeared into the darkness to feed.  Perhaps he would have cared when he'd had two eyes instead of one, and maybe he would have stopped Spike if he cared about anything at all.

            Just as Angel was heading back for the camp the rest of the men flanking his right and left Zarah ran up from the field a starry eyed expression on her young face.  Zarah was a slayer.  They had been lucky to find her at all considering the Watcher's council had long since been gone, a good eighty years to be exact.  They had been the first to go when the demons took over.  The slayers had been lost after that, having no direction or even knowing what or who they were.  Zarah had been a lucky find.  Wondering though the woods wild and angry they'd found her hunting and cooking demons for food no more than fifteen a vicious hunter and killer.  She wasn't tamed, though she appeared sweet most of the time.  Zarah was primal.  She didn't understand demon and man she only understood things that helped her and things that did not.  Angel and his crew had helped her so she liked them.  

            She smiled a little as she came to Angel's side her hands full of something.  She had her palms closed over the contents and was humming a tune strangely familiar to the song Sesa would sing for him.  Her dark brown eyes sparkled as she fell into step beside him her skinny legs working hard to keep up with his bigger stride.  Angel watched her out of the corner of his eye for a moment wondering what it was she had until he smelled a familiar stench in the air.  

            "What have you got," Angel asked as he stopped in front of the young slayer.  

            She frowned up at him her humming immediately stopped at his tone.  Her cupped hands pulled into her chest and over the dark color of her skin he could see the rust like stain seeping through her closed palms.  She shook her head her wild brown hair that hung in uneven clumps around her head hit her face violently as she protested and backed away.  

            "I just want to see what you have okay.  I won't take it."  

            Angel had learned the hard way what it meant to take things from Zarah.  He'd suffered quite a few injuries trying to teach the girl about possession.  He had eventually taught her to ask though she still didn't understand no, but at least she asked now.  Asking wasn't what he was worried about at the moment; it was what Zarah had taken that worried him.  She had a religion she seemed to have concocted that involved rituals containing certain body parts of people they'd lost.  Angel had come to guess it was her way of wishing them well, but others were not so forgiving of her thievery.  He only hoped that this time it was something unnoticeable.  

            Zarah frowned up at him showing him her teeth for a brief moment before opening her closed palm.  Nestled in a small pool of blood were four ears.  He knew immediately that they belonged to Karen and Michael.  Angel sighed and ran a hand over his face before turning back around.  He knew she wasn't doing it to be mean or rude.  She was only trying to make amends, but everyone was going to notice two missing ears.  

            Zarah didn't seem to notice his anguish and skipped past him as she headed back for her home the ears still in her hands dripping the occasional drop of blood on the ground as she ran.  She began to hum again as she disappeared over the hill and into their grounds.  In moments Angel was behind her and in the base.  It was always hard coming back, while Spike and himself had an abundant supply of food thanks to the donations of the members of the camp, the refugees were not as fortunate.  Food was hard to come by and Angel did the best he could, but it was hard to feed three hundred hungry mouths.  Lucky enough they weren't picky when it came to eating.  A few of them had grown up on demon meat and enjoyed it.  It was the older few with haunted gray eyes that looked at him resentfully.  They remembered what it was like before even if they had only been children themselves.  Humans had not always been banned to the underground and hiding.  They knew that we had once lived on the streets and had grocery stores.  They were the harder ones to please.  

            Angel walked past the hopeful faces of his people ignoring them as he made his way toward his room.  He was tired and a little hungry.  He just hoped no one would bother him tonight about what Zarah had done.  He'd explained it to them before and he didn't feel like doing it again.  There was nothing he could do to stop her.  Zarah was Zarah and not only that she was nearly as strong as he was.  He wasn't going to fight her and they needed her strength.  

            Sesa was barely humming when he finally reached his room and settled onto the bed his body weary and tired.  He wanted to sleep for a thousand years, but he knew that even if he did he would still be the same, still be alive, and still be living in this hell.  Yes, he had been to hell, for what seemed like thousands of years, if not more, but this was hell too.  He had been brought back to try and make a difference or so he'd thought but here he was feeding demon scraps to scavengers and feeding off those same people when he felt the need.  He was partnered with William the Bloody, a not quite so reformed vampire with no soul.  Sighing Angel reached the bedside table and pulled a half empty bottle of whiskey toward him and uncapped the lid.  

            He took a deep drink and unsheathed Sesa and closed his eyes as he placed her on the bed beside him and drank his liquor.  There was another time when she sang for him, when he was alone, and when he was tired Sesa would sing him to sleep lulling his spirit in ways he didn't think were possible anymore.  Lying by the mystical blade he allowed himself to think of her and what it had been like to find peace in her arms.  His love, his life, Buffy.  

~~~~~``````

            Spike wiped his mouth clean with the back of his hand and nonchalantly licked the skin where the blood residue had been left.  It was a good meal, though not very hot or even invigorating.  It was better than bagged blood.  He'd rather vamp out over a prone dead body than in front of a plastic bag.  It was easier to pretend the people were scared stiff from fear and not death by blood loss or what not.  He was a demon after all. He lived for the violence and the blood, but he also lived for the bite.  

            Spike tucked his hair behind his ears as he walked confidently toward home.  He hopped onto a few boulders actually feeling a bit giddy at the blood running though his veins.  He'd scanned the fields after draining Karen and Michael dry looking for scavengers but had come up empty handed.  Big battles, like he had just been in, left little time for hand to hand combat.  He always employed a little when fighting he liked to do most of the work with Crydon.  Mostly it was because the sword seemed to love the violence and the kill as much as he did.  The sword would send almost painful vibrations up his leg when he didn't use him.  Spike had always joked that it was their love of the kill that bonded them together, but he wasn't quite sure if that was all or the only reason. 

            Crydon had been the last weapon of its kind to be found so far and he was surprised that he had found it.  He'd been fiercely jealous of Trenton's and even Mika's dagger and his angry and hatred grew each and every time a new blade and a new master was found and he was yet to have one.  It didn't seem right that he was a major part of the resistance yet he lacked the proof of it, in his eyes any way.  It had only been when Tradora had been found that everything had changed.  He wasn't bonded to her like he was to Crydon, but there was something humming inside the blade that he related to.  

            Tradora set in a chamber not too far from Angel's room awaiting her master.  Some nights, before Crydon, Spike would sneak into the cavern and look at the glowing red blade mesmerized by the dancing flame that consumed it.  On some nights he would touch it hoping that it would accept him and though he would feel the power pulsing though it begging to be unleashed it wouldn't glow for him.  He'd changed a little by sitting with that sword, and when he was no longer jealous of his friends Crydon had appeared.  

            Spike thought of the yellow blade and he smiled.  Crydon was the right choice for him and he had never once looked back to Tradora.  In fact it was around that time he'd started taking on routine responsibilities and actually living in the base.  Before that he had kind of been a wanderer not really joining their side, but not fighting on the other either.  He had been reluctant to join, but he knew even when he had felt the first stirrings of the big badness in Sunnydale that he didn't want to be part of it.  He had just never thought he'd be stopping it.  

            Spike dropped to his knees over the base entrance and punched in a code as he watched the door slide open seemingly out of nowhere before he jumped in.  It was also around then that he'd lost a few other things that were important to him.  One of them was Molly the other was his thumb and index finger off his right hand.  It was also when he'd gained the scar.  Unconsciously Spike reached toward his forehead and followed the pale scar from the top corner of his of his forehead across his eye and over his nose and down his right cheek.  Spike shook his head breaking contact with his skin and noticed for the first time the soothing tone of Crydon's constant hum.  

            It was rare if ever the sword tried to comfort him.  Most of the time he didn't allow it and would mentally shush the blade until it stopped all together, this time he let the quiet hum play his mind slowly easing, but the pain was still present making his chest feel tight.  Spike listened as he walked past Angel's room listening to the silence.  He could hear an occasional slosh and knew Angel was getting drunk.  After all the years Spike had spent around Angel he had only managed to give the old vamp one of his habits and that happened to be getting right sloshed every once in a while.  He had to admit he was a little proud to see the old man drunk off his ass.  

            Right past Angel's room was Tradora's.  It was true he had never wanted Tradora again after finding Crydon but he had always gone to visit her, like an old friend and oddly enough Crydon thrived on Tradora.  While the blades always glowed brighter next to ones like themselves as if they knew each other and were saying hello it was nothing like the fire Tradora and Crydon created.  He felt the soothing hum of Crydon jump a bit and quicken as he stopped in front of the blades door.  Crydon wanted to see Tradora and unlike the other blades that could only be heard by their masters Spike heard Tradora's song.  

            Drawing the thick blade Spike let the light yellow glow fill the hall and watched as it glowed brighter just outside Tradora's door.  It only glowed that bright during battle.  Spike gripped the knob carefully and twisted it letting himself into the swords chamber.  Immediately his ears were met with a song.  The swords were singing to each other.  It was rare that the swords sang.  In fact Crydon had only sung for him one time.  Spike swallowed hard at the memory and focused his attention on Tradora.  She was glowing brightly her shine reaching the surrounding wall and mixing with Crydon's yellow light to create a faint orange glow that charged the air around him.  

            Carefully Spike set his friend on the pedestal beside Tradora and watched the two swords interact.    He watched the dance between the two and the way the song shifted from happiness to slow content tones.  His eyes drifted shut for a moment and he let the music and light carry him away.  

            Spike didn't know how long it had been when he finally managed to open his eyes but Crydon and Tradora were still singing but not nearly as loudly as before.  The light was a flickering, stead flame, not a burning inferno any longer.  Spike knew it was time to go.  It was almost heart breaking the loss he immediately felt when he took Crydon from Tradora's side, but he could tell though sad Crydon was happy to be back with him.  Spike himself would never admit it but it was comforting to have Crydon back with him.  He hadn't been away from the blade since the moment he found it except to show it to Tradora.  Feeling a little better than he had before Spike continued to his small room near Zarah's and sunk onto his cot.  

            He could hear the faint beat of Zarah's drum as she finished off one of her many rituals.  He peeled off his threadbare shirt and tossed it in the corner followed by his trousers and belt.  Crydon, he leaned against the cot and as he lay down and flipped off his light he reached out and squeezed the swords hilt.  In the darkness the blade began to hum, lulling Spike to sleep. 

~~~~~```

            "I can't believe how fast these bruises are healing," Mika commented as she checked a few bandages and reapplied some healing ointment to the blond headed girl.  "The bruise on her arm is nearly gone, and her head already looks better.  The minor cuts and scrapes on her body have already healed over!"  

            Trenton shook his head, "I told you she was special," he whispered trying to keep the excitement out of his tone, but it was nearly impossible.  "So how long until you think she'll wake up?" 

            Mika sighed and checked the girl's head again.  It was still purple though the color was beginning to fade to a green.  "I'm not sure."  She frowned as she rolled the girl to the side.  Not only was there a bruise on her temple but there was also quite a nasty on the back of her neck and the round of her head.  She was lucky she hadn't broken her spine.  

            "Well is there anything else you can do, a spell maybe," Trenton paced the room his hand running though his hair unconsciously as he walked. 

            He'd been doing that all night and hadn't even gone to see if Angel and Spike needed any help with clean up.  It wasn't like him, and he was lucky the two of them were two preoccupied to notice his odd behavior.  Trenton hated lone patrol and even worse hated being left out.  Usually Angel would demand a report right after a battle he wasn't involved in but it seemed as if it had been particularly bad this time.  The two of them hadn't bothered.  Battles where their two vampire leaders were too tired to doing anything afterward were not good signs.  It would mean the end of their time in L.A. was drawing near and she wasn't ready to let go just yet.  

            "Listen Trent," Mika said cutting him off with a wave of her hand, "I'm not going to do a spell on her.  Medical healing is hard and I hardly have the skill to perform it correctly.  Just be patient.  If the rest of her heals as fast she should be awake in a day or two."  Mika hoped she was right, but she really wasn't so sure about it, or even if she wanted the blond girl to wake again.  The girl seemed like trouble to her, but then again it might just be the way Trenton was doting over her.  Mika had never been the jealous type but for some reason she felt threatened by that girl.

**Another chapter, thanks for the feedback.  Please give me more!  **


	4. My Other Half

**Bright Lights**

By: Peanutbutter

Note:  Thanks for the reviews!  

**Chapter 4 'My other half'**

Trenton woke with a start to see the girl stirring.  It had barely been a day and already the injuries were better and it looked like she would wake at any moment.  Trenton rose from his chair feeling the effects of sleeping in a very small, very uncomfortable wooden chair.  There was no padding on the seat or back and he was sure he had wooden slate marks on his ass.  He stretched and rubbed his face and ran his hand through his wild hair trying to settle it to little success and leaned over the sleeping girl.  

            "Hello, are you awake?" Trenton asked softly and leaned a little closer his lips right beside her ear.  "Wake up."  

            "Aren't you a sight," Mika laughed as she walked into the room and doubled over when Trenton jumped at least six feet in the air and backed away.  

            Trenton creased his brow and frowned, "That really wasn't funny."  

            "Try looking at it from my angle," Mika offered quietly, "trust me it was very funny."  

            Trenton started the grumble under his breath and turned back the blond girl.  They cleaned her up quite a bit.  Mika had done most of it protesting that when she woke she would be embarrassed to know Trenton had changed her clothes.  When she woke fully she'd be able to clean herself up better.  

            "She was starting to wake up you smart ass," Trenton finally said as he glared at his still laughing friend.  

            Mika let her laughter taper off for a moment and walked to the girl's side.  She was still and quiet just like she had been before.  Mika shrugged, "if you say so, but she looks about the same to me."  

            "She was mumbling," Trenton defended lightly.  "I was only getting up to see about her."  

            "She's very likely to talk or mumble, but you're right it is a good sign, not to mention her injuries are all but healed."  Mika shook her head in astonishment.  There were only two types of people she knew healed like that, vampires, and Slayers.  The funny thing was they already had the Slayer and she definitely wasn't a vampire.  Whether she was a hybrid or part demon she wasn't sure either.  

            "So what do we do with her today?" Trenton asked.

            Mika sighed, "I'll watch her you go to work.  If you don't show up practically jumping to go to the surface Angel and Spike will think something is up so go if you want to keep her here a little longer." 

            Trenton was reluctant to leave her side even if he knew she'd be safe in Mika's care.  He wanted to be there when she awoke.  He wanted to know why she had hugged him like that and why she'd called him Xander.  Mostly he wanted to know about her.  

            Trenton moved away from the girl's side when Mika waved him out again.  "Fine," he grumbled as he lumbered to the corner and picked up Isa and strapped her to his belt.  He felt a little better with Isa next to him again.  She was comforting in her own way.  "Come get me if she wakes up."  

            Mika looked up from her wound checking and nodded before looking back at the girl again, "I'll get you all right.  I'll run onto the surface Nell drawn and cut my way threw demons."  Mika felt a jerk in Nell's constant song and knew at once the blade was laughing.  

            "You're funny," Trenton grumbled as he pulled his black military type vest on and headed for the door as he grabbed his boots.  Mika just laughed.  

            Trenton gave the girl one last look before opening his door and slipping into the hall.  Life was mostly boring and anything out of the ordinary made him hum and jump with anticipation, much like Isa did before battle.  His occasional boredom had only been punctured by the device he'd found that played movies.  Sure he'd heard of them before, they had TV's and he knew that at one time there had been actual shows on, but it was hard to grasp when you've never seen it before.  He'd found the fist tape on a scavenging mission three years ago.  It was called 'The Terminator'.  Because it was the first it was his all time favorite.  Later on his collection had grown, a series called 'Star Wars', a couple of drawn movies by a popular corporation called Disney, there were a few in between about lovers and some were humorous.  Most of the scavenging was spent trying to repair broken film but it had paid off in the end.  

            Recently the novelty had worn off slightly and the appearance the blond girl that seemed to have the strength of a Slayer was more than enough to keep his interest.  He just hoped that Angel and Spike wouldn't find out.  Angel was more easy to deal with just because he didn't seem to care about most things but when he was angered Trenton didn't want to be anywhere around their violent leader.  Spike on the other hand had been very laid back about everything until Molly had come along and died shortly after.  Spike had a very short fuse now.  Things that had never bothered him before made him furious.  Unfortunately that included breaking of rules.

            Trenton bounded down the steal steps and hopped onto the bottom floor where Angel and Spike were already lounging around the conference table.  As the refuges only protection they occupied the top floors while the actual inhabitants lived below them.  Trenton tried to give off an air of his usual enthusiasm as he bounded toward them and plopped into a chair across from the two vampires.  

            "So fellas what's on the roster?"  Trenton leaned back in his chair propping his head up with his hands.

            "Not going to beg to be on the front lines today," Spike asked the corners of his mouth turning up slightly as he turned his the scared side of his face toward Trenton.  

            Trenton shrugged and let the chair legs fall to the floor, "Well are you sending me up or not?"  

            Angel was silent for a moment before speaking, "Yes, we have arranged a pick up of goods near the old railroad station."  

            Trenton was a little disappointed and tried not to show it as he nodded his head.  He was planning on looking after the girl not wandering around on the surface looking for a dirty old man claiming that pebbles were seeds.  "Right, so who's going with me?" 

            "Zarah," Angel said quickly.  

            Trenton's eyes widened and he shook his head no.  "The girl drives me crazy Angel I'm not going with her."  

            "If you run into something you're going to need help and Zarah does the work of ten men or more," Angel said without looking up.  

            Trenton snorted, "I'd rather go with scar boy than her."  

            Spike narrowed his eyes at the comment.  "Watch it whelp or you'll find that sword shoved strategically up you arse."

            Trenton rolled his eyes and ignored the way Isa hummed angrily beside him.  If there was anyone Isa hated the most it was Spike.  In fact she had little like at all for Crydon as well.  Trenton didn't blame her Spike was pretty much an asshole all the time, though he had to admit his disposition had gotten better over the years, but not enough for Trenton to entirely change his opinion.  

            "Did you already tell her she was going?" Trenton asked ignoring the glares Spike was sending him as he tried to find a way to get out of going to the surface with Zarah.  

            "I did," Angel smiled a little, "she's not so bad."  As if to disprove his theory Zarah jumped in from the top floor and landed in the middle of the table looking very much like a panther.  Her dark hair was swept behind her ears and she smiled slightly and looked around the table.  She was wearing her normal traveling gear, a pair of leather pants and one of Spike's shirts.  It had taken a while for them to convince the girl to wear a shirt.  In the wild she had been running around mostly unclothed and she felt that confining her breast wasn't necessary.  Mika had later showed her the benefits of a bra and she usually wore that if nothing else.  In her hand was a dagger carved out of bone, or what they thought was bone.  She wouldn't let anyone touch it.  Strapped to her back was a long sword and a bow and arrow set, the sword was given to her by Angel and she had made the bow and arrows herself.  

            She rose to full height, only five foot two, but she was still young fifteen or sixteen at the most.  Her dark eyes sparkled and she jumped off the table to stand by Trenton she threw her arm around his shoulder and smiled up at him as she indicated the direction of the outside.  

            "Go," she said her voice low but upbeat.  Zarah didn't really talk that much but when she did it was always right to the point.  She grabbed his arm and tugged.  

            "Better get going," Spike said, "don't want to keep the lady waiting."  

            Zarah smiled wider at Spike and touched her lips before turning back to Trenton.  Trenton never really understood Zarah's connection to Spike.  The way she acted around him Trenton wondered if he had done anything with her, though it seemed like she didn't know anything about that in the first place.  He smiled warily down at the slayer and succumbed to the tugging and fell into step with the girl as they made their way to the surface.  

            "Don't forget the payment," Angel called after him, "there's three bottles of bourbon at the entrance.  He gives you four bags and he gets the liquor."  

            Trenton nodded warily and picked up the bag of booze and threw it over his shoulder carefully as he listened to the bottles clang together.  He wondered what was going to happen while he was gone.  It was only to take at least three days to reach the building and there was no telling when the girl would awaken.  Mika was going to have to keep the secret without him.  He wished he had time to talk to her before he left but it was too late.  He already had everything he'd need packed up for him, his weapons, and a bag of food for the both of them along with the payment.  Angel was too thorough sometimes.  

~~~~~~~~``````

            "What do you think the whelps hidin'?" Spike asked as he watched the boy disappear into the sunlit world.  

            "I don't know," Angel commented as he watched the door for a moment, "we'll find out though.  He wasn't very good at hiding it."

            "You're telling me.  I heard him up all night." Spike said and looked at Angel.  "I heard Mika too, but it wasn't the kind of noises you'd expect to hear from a girl and guy in the same room together."  

            Angel nodded, "Go check it out."  

            "I'm not your whipping boy," Spike snorted, "I don't really…"  

            Spike didn't get to finish his sentence before Angel grabbed him around the neck and lifted him out of his seat.  Spike started to struggle immediately his hand flying to his side where Crydon was protesting just as much as Spike was.  If Angel was going to try and rip his head off he wasn't going to go easily.  Angel squeezed harder crushing Spike's windpipe as he knocked Spike's hand out of the way and grabbed the protesting limb with his free fist.    

            "Don't question, just do I don't have time to fuck with you right now!" With a growl Angel pulled him backward and flung him at the wall.  He watched, a smile of sick satisfaction crawling across his face.  Spike slid to the floor his eyes closed.  Angel shut his eyes as well as a shudder went through his entire body and he shook his head. 

            Spike groaned and attempted to push himself to his feet but it was hard.  His hand was around his neck as he tried to draw in a breath so he could speak.  His voice wheezed and cracked as he spoke, "You fucking bastard."  Spike pulled out his sword.  The aura around it was blazing and Spike morphed into game face.  

            "I didn't," Angel swallowed and put his hand on the sword at his side, "It was…"  He trailed off.  He knew what it was.  It happened only occasionally but every time it did it scared him.  Angelus wasn't completely gone and having the hellmouth so open and close, it tempted to demon to come out, and sometimes Angel couldn't control him.  

            "I know who it was you fucker!  I spent a century living with the prick.  He comes out again; does that around me and I'll cut out your other eye you complete bastard.  I'm not your lackey."  Spike seemed to calm for a moment though the sword didn't go back in the sheath.  He turned on his heel and headed for the stairs.  "Go check on it yourself."  

            Angel felt the guilt consume him as he watched Spike leave.  There was a time when he had liked hurting people, a time when he had been Angelus.  He felt Sesa humming discontent at his side and he placed his shaking hand on her hilt and tried to calm her and himself.  In a few moments her hum had quieted and already the shaking of his hand had stopped.  He couldn't take the anger, the losing control.  It was driving him crazy.  

            He'd lost his eye because he couldn't control himself and he knew Spike meant it when he threatened to take out the other.  Angel raised his hand to his face and touched the empty spot where his eyes had once been.  It was covered by a patch but underneath the cloth was a jagged scar.  Angel quickly pulled his hand away from his face and sat back down at the table.  He pulled the sword out and waited for her to sing, but her hum was still a little off and he wondered if she would ever forgive him.


	5. She Awakes

**Bright Lights**

By: Peanutbutter

**Chapter 5 'She awakes'**

_"Molly?"_

_            "So the prodigal son comes to call.  Run out of money, do you need me to throw you a party perhaps?"  Angel asked as he appeared from around the corner holding a white braided rope.  _

_            "Angel stop being the wanker you are for a minute," Spike said a little wary at the expression on the vampire's face.  He hadn't seen that look in years, more than that it had been centuries.  "Where's Molly at.  I was s'pposed to meet 'er on the s'rface and she didn' come up?"  _

_            "Did you miss you're little girlfriend Spikey."  He chuckled.  _

_            "S'not my girlfriend," Spike replied vehemently.  _

_            "Hurt his little feeling, reminding him of his long dead girlfriend, sweet little insane Dru.  She was crazy but she knew how to please me," he sucked his tongue in between his teeth.  _

_            Spike charged then his anger having reached its limit, "you sorry bastard."  He didn't even stop to wonder why Angel was acting the way he was, or even why he was taunting him about Molly.  He pulled the long blade at his side out only to stop short when Angel yanked on the rope still in his fingers.  _

_            She tumbled out from the shadows landing at his feet her mouth gagged and her brown locks sticky with blood.  Spike froze mid swing his sword quivering as he looked at her.  Her crystal blue eyes were red and puffy from crying and her lips were torn and bleeding.  What had he done to her? _

_            "Angelus," Spike hissed knowing immediately that it was true when what had once been Angel chuckled.  _

_            "Not nearly as good as Dru, not as much stamina," he yanked the rope making her groan and fall forward, "she kept passing out right in the middle of my lessons.  Had to beat her a little for that and it got a little messy."  _

Spike woke with a start the dream barely fading from his mind as he sat up on his cot and tried to catch his breath.  The display from Angel had brought bad things back up again.  After the incident with Angel Spike had been feeling less than willing to do any work and had gone to get drunk.  After getting completely sloshed and laughing about Angel having to do everything the rest of the day he'd fallen asleep.        

Spike shuddered and tried to keep the shakes from returning as he wondered just what had woken him up.  It wasn't the dream he knew that.  The dream woke him at the same place every time and fortunately he hadn't yet reached that point.  Just as he was choking it up to luck he heard a loud bang against his wall.  It was enough to make it shake.  That was Trenton's room.  Trenton was gone.  Spike narrowed his eyes and remembered why the entire fight with Angel had started in the first place.  Trenton had been up to something and that something was obviously trying to find a way out.  He wondered if Trenton had found a dog and brought it home again.  The dog hadn't lasted long taken by one of the kids below, but it had been an awful menace until its departure.  Whatever it was though sounded big, bigger than a dog.  

            Spike pulled himself to his feet thankful for the distraction and the fact that the dream and the memories were fading with the distraction.  He didn't really have a hang over but his hand was aching a little bit.  He picked up his shirt off the floor and pulled it over his sculpted chest and didn't bother buttoning his pants back up and ran his hand through his disheveled locks as he started out his door.  Just as he was about to open the door he heard Crydon's angry hum.  It wasn't really something he'd need the sword for but he was protesting too loudly and angrily at being left behind that Spike walked back toward it and slung the leather cord over his shoulder grumbling angrily the entire way as he headed back for the door again.  

            There was another loud bang and Spike's mouth tightened into a line.  He was beginning to wonder with Trenton had managed to sneak in an elephant through the trap door.  With the entire ruckus, it seemed very possible.  Spike stalked down the short hall to the door and without knocking burst into the room.  At first all he saw was darkness but his eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light and he saw Mika standing in the corner one of her books clutched to her chest.  She had her lower lip in between her teeth and she was shaking.  In fact she was so involved she hadn't noticed his entrance.  The question was just what was she staring at.  

            Spike followed her line of sight to Trenton's bed where a girl, no taller than five foot two or so stood.  Her clothes were hanging off her body in ripped rags.  He could smell blood on her, and not all of it was hers.  Her hair hung in oily strings around her shadowed face.  In her hand were the remains of Trenton's lamp.  She was shaking her breath coming in shallow gulps as she swayed slightly.  The room was a mess as well and he guessed immediately that she was the cause and more than that she was Trenton's fault.  

            "Who the hell is this?"  Spike yelled his hands immediately going over his head as she charged into the room.  

            Mika whipped her head around her hair flying around her shoulders as she pulled the book tighter, "Sp…Spike, um," she whipped her head back to the girl and to Spike again and tried to smile but it fell from her face immediately.  

            "Who is this?" He asked again and directed his glare at the girl before turning back to Mika.  "We have rules you know.  They're 'ere for safety reasons look at 'er  she's a little off her nut."  

            "Spike," his name was hissed past the girl's lips like he was a disease and he turned slowly toward her again to see her grip had tightened on her weapon and she had flung her hair out of her face.  Her eyes were an intense green and they shined back at him with hatred.  She was familiar but he couldn't place her.  

            "Um," Mika stuttered again and looked to Spike.  "She's a little disoriented.  She had a concussion and…"  She trailed off when the girl leaped from the bed her aim directly on Spike.  

            Spike turned to her small body not bothering to draw his sword as he faced her.  She could be a number of things.  A demon possessed human sent to take down their ranks, it had been done before.  She screamed as she launched herself at him and Spike moved quickly to swat her deadly glass welding hand out of the way, but he was the one caught off guard when she swatted his block and moved him to slash him across the face.  His entire body was pitched backward as he tried to move out of the way but the jagged edge of the lamp grazed his cheek hard enough to draw blood.  

            "Bloody hell!" Spike yelled as he stepped back and immediately lifted his hand to block her next swing.  He managed to grab her wrist and twist it hard enough to make her gasp and fall to the ground.  Using that to his advantage he kicked out at her trying to catch her in the stomach but she rolled out of the way just in time.  

            She half rose with her injured arm that had once held the weapon clutched to her chest.  Spike jumped at her again this time aiming at her face.  He backhanded her lightly hoping to push her back again but she barely turned her head with the blow before she looked up again.  It was like it didn't even hurt and even if Spike had toned down the blow it was enough to knock a normal human being backward.  She wasn't human.  He sniffed the air again.  Her blood, the blood that was now staining her bandages, smelled human, human but different.  He didn't notice a demonistic quality to it though it did have a familiar twinge to it.  

            "Ow," Spike groaned as his momentary distraction was used to her advantage and she jumped on him, kicking him across the face.   Spike felt his face shift at the impact and lunged at her no longer worrying about hurting her.  She obviously wasn't fragile.  His blows rained down on her quickly and though some of them were blocked, most of them weren't.  Finally he reached in between her defenses and kicked her in the chest knocking her against the opposite wall. 

            She hit it hard and slid to the ground her hair once again falling in her eyes.  She was on her feet again quickly and she began to speak, "Spike I know it's you who did this.  I'll make sure you pay!"  With that she lunged forward again.  At the sudden movement her hair was pushed back and she was suddenly illuminated by the candle in the corner.  

            In his demon visage Spike could see everything and he suddenly remembered why her body seemed so familiar, why her voice was making him grit his teeth and why her fighting style was pissing him off.  He it, he knew her, but it couldn't be true.  Roaring loudly he met her half way tossing off her attempts to attack him and grabbing hold of her forearms tightly and drove her against her will into the far wall.  He ignored Mika's cries of protest as he pressed hard enough to bruise another growl leaving his throat.  

            "Who the fuck are you!"  He slammed her head against the wall and smiled slightly when she pulled back slightly dazed her eyes glazed over.  

            "You know who I am you bastard," She said between gasps of air and shifted her leg and tried to knee him in the groin, but he trapped her knees in between his thighs.  

            "I know who you look like, but it's not who you are," he leaned closer his tongue snaking out to lick at her throat while she struggled against him almost managing to break free but he tightened his grip until she stopped moving.  She was weak after all, already injured.  He licked an open wound on her neck.  He knew the taste of slayer blood and this would tell him if it was her before anything else would.  He let the blood rush across his taste buds until he felt them explode and he felt a trembling in his body that rushed from his mouth to his feet and back to his groin.  It was slayer blood all right with the ability to make him hard with minimal effort.  

            "Enjoy your taste," Buffy suddenly asked and Spike realized too late that he'd let his guard down and he looked up just in time to feel her forehead smash against his nose.  

            "Bloody hell you bitch why does it always 'ave to be the nose!"  He stumbled back cradling his bleeding nose as he looked at her again.  She certainly had the Slayer's accuracy, but it was impossible.  Buffy died over a hundred years ago.  The slayer line had gone on without her.  It didn't make sense.  

            He looked at her again to see her swaying a little.  Maybe it had taken a little more out of her than she would have liked.  Just as he was walking toward her, her eyes rolled back in her head again and she fell to the floor with a hard thud.  Mika finally made a move and rushed past Spike and to the girl's side.  

            "God, you could have been a little easier on her," Mika exclaimed as she propped her up and fanned her face.  

            "She broke my nose an' you're fannin' her face.  You should be lookin' after me," Spike protested.  "You have no idea what you're dealing with."  

            "And neither do you." Mika pointed out.  

            "I know," Spike shook his head and wiped a little bit of blood off his face with the back of his hand, "whoever this is she's trying to get at Angel.  That girl was sent from the enemy."  

            "What are you talking about?" Mika asked as she laid her back down and rechecked her injuries and started to attend to the new ones.  "She was scared and you didn't help."  

            "She's the slayer girl."  

            "Zarah's the slayer," she replied simply.  

            "No she's "The Slayer" the one that Angel mourned over," Spike spoke slowly, "she's here to bring us all down I can feel it."  

            "Are you talking about Buffy," Mika hissed.  

            "I'm not crazy you bint," he argued at her pointed look, "I know her face and worse than that I tasted her.  It's Buffy all right, in one form or another."  

~~~~~~~~~`````

            "Hey Zarah, lets stop here," Trenton mumbled over the girl's constant humming and dropped his bag just outside the nearly demolished building.  

            The girl looked back and gestured toward the woods with vigor but Trenton wasn't about to venture into the woods when it was already dark.  She was used to it, he imagined she even found comfort in it, but Trenton didn't like the woods.  All the sounds within the woods unnerved him.  This was the last set of buildings before they were forever plunged into the forest and all it brought with it.  Not only were the noises an issue, because of them he had difficulty sleeping, but demons tended to make their homes in the shadows.  

            "It's getting too dark and I don't want to start into there until full light," Trenton argued as he motioned for her to come back.  She frowned a little but slowly turned around her boots flopping on and off her feet because she never tied them.  "It won't be so bad."  He tried to sooth.  "We'll build a fire and have something to eat, okay?"  

            She brightened a little her hazel brows moving upward with slight excitement as he walked her way into the crumbling building and tossed her pack in the corner.  Trenton shook his head and picked up his own pack following close behind her.  

            "Wood," she asked brightly.  

            Trenton nodded, "yeah got a lot of it.  I'm not sure about nights right now, but last time we I stayed out here it was pretty cold.  The day was warm, but you never know for sure."  Trenton set his pack on the floor and began pulling his bed roll out.  Their rations followed and removed a few pots to place over the fire and warm the food.  Last of all he set the bottles of bourbon against the wall.  He opened the sack and let the bottles become visible as he looked them over.  It wasn't often that he had an opportunity for a good glass of bourbon, or any kind of alcohol.  

            "You think this 'trader' would notice if we're short a bottle?"  Trenton asked through a grin and turned around only to find Zarah already gone.  Trenton mumbled under his breath and leaned against the wall and groaned as his muscles began to uncoil.  He usually loved leaving the dungeon, or so he called it, to go up top and explore.  Usually these trips took him a couple of days longer because he spent most of the time exploring and picking up artifacts.  There wasn't much left in the crumbling town, most of it having succumbed to rot and decay being exposed to the elements, but sometimes if he was lucky the trip would be worth it.  All he could think about now was the blond girl who'd fought those demons, and who Isa had a strange liking of.  

            Thinking about it Trenton pulled the blade out of its sheath and laid it across his outstretched legs and watched the light blue aura surrounding her dance, flick, and swirl around the blade.  He wondered if the blond girl had woken up.  Even though he wanted her to be all right he didn't want her to wake up without him there.  It was possible that she might remember him from the fight, or better yet confide in him, trust him.  He leaned back a little farther and grinned.  She'd fall all over him and fall in love with him.  His fantasies were beginning to get carried away when he heard a loud whoop from just outside the door.  

            Zarah burst loudly through the threshold her arms full of logs and twigs.  She dropped them unceremoniously on the floor and whooped again as she crouched onto the floor and began arranging them into a pile so she could start a fire.  Trenton narrowed his eyes slightly but there was no yelling at her for it.  Getting Zarah mad was like walking into a cage full of angry, starving tigers naked and he really didn't find the scenario appealing.  

            "Woosh," Zarah called jumping back as she waved her arms high over her head and smiled widely.  "Eat, woosh," she said again and fell back onto her hunches much like a dog and waited for him to finish.  

            Trenton rolled his eyes and outstretched his hand closing them slightly as he recited a short incantation and the piled up sticks caught fire and a thin trail of smoke rolled upward and through the holes in the ceiling.  Trenton never claimed to be a magic user but fire was a simple and essential spell to learn, especially when matches were scarce.  He had just barely learned to balance the other elements so it wouldn't start pouring rain.  Considering the holes in the roof it was a good thing.  Finally getting up, Trenton picked up the unsealed stew and poured it into a pot and set it over the flame and waited for it to get warm.

            He kind of wanted to talk but then again Zarah wasn't the best conversationalist in the world.  She was already engaged in her own world a small metal tin in front of her as she rifled through the contents carefully.  She pulled out a small glass jar from the box and put it between her feet before shutting the box and putting the tin back in her knapsack.  The jar was filled with a suspicious red liquid and Trenton didn't know if he wanted to ask what it was.  She opened the jar with on of her hands continuing to hold the glass with her feet.  

            Trenton leaned over to stir the stew and raised a brow as he watched Zarah and her jar of strange reddish liquid.  He really didn't want to know what it was, but it was hard for him to pull his eyes away from her.  She unscrewed the lid and dipped her middle finger into the concoction and smeared the red across both cheeks and down her chin all the while chanting something in another tongue.  

            Zarah didn't come to them not knowing how to speak.  She just didn't know how to speak English.  The language was nothing like Spike or even Angel had ever heard of and they were fluent and not only all human languages but most of the demon ones as well.  They figured it was her own, though they'd never been able to really decipher any of it and she had never tried to explain it to them.  Mika said there was magic underlying her words.  She raised her arms up mumbling again before letting them fall slowly to her sides.  

            "Eat," she said softly her eyes still closed.  

            Trenton cleared his throat, slightly mystified, and spooned out her stew into a bowl and watched her reach for it never opening her eyes though she seemed to know exactly where it was at.  She held the plate with one hand and with the other lifted the jar and poured a small amount onto the stew and began chanting again.  

            Trenton cringed, a little grossed out considering the color and consistency of whatever was in the jar. He watched her finish her chant and bring the bowl her mouth.  He felt his stomach turn knew instantly it was going to be a very long trip.  

**K, give me the good stuff, reviews that is!**


	6. chapter 6

**Bright Lights**

By: Peanutbutter

**Chapter 6 '**

~~~~~~~``

"What do we do?"

            Spike patted his pockets as he paced the room wishing that he had had the mind set to roll some cigarettes before he'd come into Trenton's room, but then again how was he supposed to know that this was going to happen.  "I don't know," Spike shook his head and continued to pace his dark blond locks falling from behind his ears and around his face.  

            "Are you sure it's her?"  

            "Not only does she look like 'er," Spike mumbled, "but the way she hissed my name is a dead give away.  The stupid bint never did like me."  

            "In her defense," Mika said smiling slightly, "you were evil."  

            Spike stopped pacing and gave her a look, "Not really the point kitten.  She's the only one who would fight now ask questions later, always thought she was a little thick in the head."  He swirled his finger around his temple and started pacing again.  

            "Do we tell Angel?"  

            Spike stopped again and shook his head vehemently, "I think you're insane.  That's that last thing we do, pet.  We figure this out 'fore we even think about bringin' the poofter in on it."  

            Mika crinkled her brow, "since when did he become the poofter again."  

            "Since this mornin'," Spike commented slowly.  "Look we'll just keep it a secret long enough to figure out what she's about.  If it ain't really Buffy we just kill 'er real quick and be done with it."  Spike growled.  "The wanker should have known better than to bring that 'ere."  

            "He found her fighting some, um, Farlocs, two full grown ones."  Mika swallowed, "and her injuries have been healing really fast." 

            Spike rubbed his jaw, "well I knew she had the strength that she showed pretty quick, but the healing too."  

            "You sure you don't want to tell Angel?"  

            "Do you think I'm a bloody moron?  I can take care of this.  You don't need to go running to Captain Forehead whenever something goes wrong."  

            "Captain Forehead," she snorted.  

            "Are you goin' to repeat everythin' I say?"  

            She laughed again, "If you keep saying silly things then yes I am."  

            He glared at her, "Ha ha bleedin' ha."  

            Mika shrugged and picked up some the glass that had shattered on the floor when 'Buffy' had woken.  She'd been dreaming when she actually came around and from the way she was twisting and turning in her sleep it had been a pretty violent one at that.  She'd reached out and grabbed the lamp and shattered the end off before she'd even woken up.  She could tell the girl was still frightened and a little dazed when she'd come to hence the attack, though again Spike wasn't much of a help in that aspect.  He seemed to have pushed her over the edge.

            "What exactly happened between you two?" Mika asked as she got to her feet curious to why the girl was so very angry with him.  

            Spike turned around and shifted for a moment seemingly uncomfortable.  "Listen kitten I was evil all right doesn't matter what I did exactly.  I did what demons do."  

            "So, you're the big bad demon.  I can do a spell to find out who she is, or at least to make sure she's not like you said before processed.  I can't tell you whether or not it's really Buffy but I can tell you whether or not she's tainted by a spell."  Mika crossed the room and picked up one of her dropped books.  "I just have to make a run to the archives and pick up a few small volumes."  

            "Right then I'll just stay here."  Spike fell into a chair in the corner and leaned against the small table.  "Oi you mind gettin' my smokes 'fore you leave?"  

            Mika nodded and ducked out of the room for a few seconds only to return with a battered back of rolled cigarettes.  "Thanks, kitten."  

            "Right, I'll be right back."  

            "Sure," Spike leaned further back in the chair taking it off two legs.  He pulled one of the ciggy's out and stuck it in his mouth.  Snapping his fingers a little he lit the tip of his finger and lit the end of the stick.  He inhaled deeply and let the tobacco smoke rise into his lungs and back out again.  He'd never spent much time in Trenton's room but it was a little more posh than his own.  Inhaling again he looked to the walls.  The boy had acquired a lot of memorabilia from earth pre apocalypse.  There were a couple of stained and torn posters as well as baseballs, a football, a box of CD's, another box of VHS cassette tapes, and a few books.  The wall just across from him housed most of that stuff on a built in wooden shelf.  Because the walls were pretty much made of steal the shelf stood on the ground on the ends and in the middle propping it.  The shelf held most of the memorabilia.  Just in front of him on the smaller wall opposite the door was the bed, where the Slayer currently lay.  

            He stopped for a moment his eyes resting on her prone form.  She was like he remembered her all those years ago.  He was surprised that he remembered her that well.  Sure he had fought her a lot, admired her for her strength, even if she'd dropped an organ on his back.  He frowned, bitch.  Her perky bleached blond highlights were still perfect.  How was that even possible now?  He couldn't even find a decent bottle of bleach to do his own hair with.  In fact he hadn't had a hair cut in nearly six years.  Absently Spike tugged on a strand of loose hair.  His hair was just below his ears, mostly pulled back in an elastic.  He thought it made him look pouncy, but he didn't trust anyone near his head with a pair of scissors.  

            "Contemplating a new hair do?"  

            Spike looked up taking the cigarette out of his mouth as his eyes fell on the girl, who had been unconscious only moments before.  She was awake now, sitting up her hands on her head.  

            "Gonna fight me then Slayer, give me good eh?"  He took another drag and set the chair back on four legs and leaned forward his elbows resting on his knees.  

            "Not until the pounding stops," she moaned and needed her temple lightly.  

            "You baffle me.  You jump all over me at first holdin' a bleeding broken lamp at my throat and then you're all friendly, hey how ya doin'."  

            "That was a lamp?" She asked raising a sculpted brow.  She looked like she'd just been to the salon.  How was that even possible?  "Besides I woke up a little while ago and saw you looking around the room.  Obviously you don't want to kill me, at least not yet, so I don't need to go all 'grr argh' on you."  

            "Right," Spike finished off the last of his cigarette and ground the end of it into the wooden table.  "So now that we're done with the small talk who are you?"  

            "Are you on something," Buffy asked.  

            "Listen, whoever you are you've done a good job, looked her up and all got everythin' down to the 't' including that annoying bump in her nose," He watched as her fingers flew to her nose at his words, "but it's too perfect, pet."  

            "What are you talking about?"  Buffy asked.  

            "Listen you can't be her.  You can't look like you do and live in this world unless the hellmouth suddenly has the best hair care salon on the west coast."  He got to his feet pulling out Crydon as he did so and started toward her.  

            Buffy was already on her feet her fists raised as he approached.  "Since when do you use weapons," she cocked her head to the side, "and why is it glowing?"  

            "Enough talk, bitch, I'm not going to leave until I have answers."  He aimed the yellow sword at her.  It was then he noticed Crydon was humming.  The sound wasn't like anything he'd heard before it was piercing rushing through his body and making the small hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.  His head automatically jerked away from the blade and the fingers closed around the hilt began to twitch.  He tried to will the sword to stop, even speaking to it mentally, but the sound just became louder.  He didn't even realize he'd closed his eyes until he heard the blond girl's pained voice and he forced his lids open again  

            "What is that?"  She was on the bed again curled into a ball her hands over her ears rocking.  

            Spike looked down at the sword.  That was the kind of hum only he heard, why could see hear it?  The glow around the sword wasn't bright, and warm but somehow dull and cold.  His hands twitched and he was on longer able to hold the blade in front of him.  As his muscles collapsed and the sword resumed it's place at Spike's side the sound died.  Crydon had never done that before.  He could still hear the ringing in his ears, making his head pound, even if it were no longer ripping through the room.  What had happened?  

"What are you," Spike choked out as he looked at her still curled in a ball and for the first time in his life he willingly dropped Crydon.  The sword hit the ground with a clatter and fell into an eerie silence.  She didn't answer but gave a moan in response.  Had Crydon rejected him, why?  Spike swallowed willed himself to stop breathing.  He didn't need too.  Crydon was still lying on the floor a mere two feet from him but he was afraid to go to it.  The separation was painful.  He'd spent years with the sword attached to his side, never without it.  Spike bent down and let his fingers coast over the metal.  There was no sound, no pain.  He finally let his fingers touch the hilt and pull it toward him.  Just as he was looking it over Mika returned a stack of books in her arms.  

            "Ran into Angel along the way he thinks I'm looking for a solution again, which actually I should be instead of looking up a girl that you're convince is not real and who Trenton has attached a sick obsession to."  Mika dropped her books on the table finally able to see again without the volumes obstructing her view.  Her eyes fell to the floor and saw Spike barely touching Crydon with one hand on his head.  

            "What happened?" She asked her eyes widening.  Her eyes strayed from Spike to Buffy who was still on the floor her hands over her ears.  "God, what happened?" 

            "I don't know," Spike replied honestly, "we were arguing an' I was tryin' to find out who she was, an' Crydon…" He trailed off for a moment his hand tightening on the hilt hearing a faint welcoming vibration at the touch.  He tightened the grip and moved the sword to his side.  

            "You couldn't wait two seconds for me to come back?" Mika asked exasperated.  "I had a spell I could have done on her if she was conscious, one that would guarantee she would tell the truth and another to send her into a trance, find out if there was any mystical energy surrounding her."  

            Spike immediately went on the defensive refusing to tell Mika what had happened until he figured it out for himself.  Instead he blamed it on her.  "S'not my fault she's bloody well insane.  She attacked me and like before passed out real quick."  

~~~~~~~~~```` 

            Apologizing was never something that Angel was good at, or at least when it came to Spike he had never been good at it.  Spike had a way of inspiring his more murderous tendencies and more so in recent occasions Angelus tendencies.  He knew why Angelus hated Spike.  Spike had betrayed him and tried to send him to hell, but Angelus never seemed to look at the other side of it.  Angelus betrayed Spike, left him and Dru, and worse than that stole Dru away from Spike when he finally returned.  Angelus had taken every opportunity to mock and ridicule the injured vampire in an attempt to make up for his formally good years as Angel.  It seemed as if there would always be a wedge in between the two of them.  One that he was currently not helping to dislodge.  

            Angel looked to the top of the conference table where Sesa still lay her blade glowed a faint green but she still refused to sing for him.  He'd sat for hours waiting for her comfort and feeling the night fall upon the shelter, but still no sound except of the occasional hum of discontent escaped her.  He was almost convinced that he'd never hear her again when he lifted her from the table and but her in her sheath and got to his feet.  He was feeling bad, bad enough to do something he hadn't done in months.  

            Growling angrily, Angel stomped down the hall and into supply cabinet.  It was usually locked but with Zarah gone there was no real worry of things going missing.  Spike only took two things from the cabinet blood, and peanut butter (jars found over the years, still sealed).  He had cut down on the drinking though occasionally a bottle of whiskey went missing.  They weren't supposed to drink the whiskey, but save it for special occasions or bargains.  Right now he figured the hell with it.  He grabbed the entire bottle that had been obviously stolen from over the past couple of years and removed the cap.  He had gotten drunk plenty of times over the years but he hadn't called for her in nearly four.  

            The bottle still clasped in his hand he headed through the doors that separated their quarters from the civilians and stepped onto the deck.  Inside was completely different from the upper deck.  Underneath this military like establishment was something almost like little apartment made into the walls of a long hallway that appeared to have no end.  People walked up and down the street, talking, laughing, playing.  It was strange to watch them be so happy, but then again he had seen it from it's very beginning.  At first they'd nearly killed each other, trapped from the sun, starving for fresh air and open spaces, now some of them had never been outside before.  They had been born here and here they thrived.  The caverns ran on for miles, with more and more unoccupied homes.  The facility had obviously once been a remnant of some sort of military project.  

            He rarely came down here anymore and hadn't really walked among the people for five years.  He knew she was still there though, waiting for him.  She craved him, craved his fangs, his bite, the way he felt inside her.  She didn't make him happy.  She made him feel worse and dirty, but he needed her like he need the whiskey.  It was something to get his mind of the biggest of his problems.  At least when she was  straddling his waist her had her hot mouth around his cock he would be lost.  He would only need her for a few hours and after thanks he'd send her on her way.  She always came when he called.  

            Her house was near the entrance to convenient to be coincidence.  He could get to her place without ever being seen.  Hiding in the shadows and feeling very much like the ass he was, Angle crept toward her door.  When he reached her home, it was as he remembered.  There was a surprisingly thriving fern lit by a sunlamp hung from her porch railing, and the porch, so odd looking in a place like this, was painted white.  Every time he walked up those steps he remembered a past lovers house.  He closed his eyes as he let his fingers run over the roughed wood of the porch rail.  He could almost see the house on Revello drive, he could almost smell the fresh air and grass.  

            It was the slap that brought him back to reality.  He hadn't expected that.  His eyes flew open and his hand went to his cheek where she had struck him though it hadn't really hurt.  He touched his face for an instant before looking into her face.  She stood before him like he remembered, fire, and passion burning in her eyes.  She was angry her arms crossed over her chest her feet spread to balance herself.  

            "What the hell are you doing here?"  She screamed.  

            Angel watched her unmoving.  Her hair was the same sea of brunette waves.  Her eyes, hazel and full of life were the same, a few new wrinkles surrounded her eyes, and a light line around her mouth.  Her lips were still full though, and her face was still smooth.  His eyes trailed over her crossed arms and down her body, nothing there had changed either.  

            "Are you just going to stare you complete bastard, or do you plan on clubbing me and tossing me over your shoulder," she asked and raised an angry brow.    "I'm not your whore, even though you treat me like one, and as if figure it, if that's the case then you owe me a lot of money."  

            Angel smiled, she had a way of getting under his skin and making him smile.  She was nothing he had ever wanted, but she seemed to be all he needed.  He took a step toward her and wasn't discouraged when she took a step backward.  She was still glaring but her eyes had softened.  He took another step and this time she didn't move.  Her arms were still crossed but there were only inches between them.  He took another half step and could feel her warm sweet breath on his face.  He leaned forward his head resting on her shoulder.  He could smell her, she still smelled like a summer day even though it wasn't possible.  She had never seen the sunshine.  She was only thirty or so and he had been coming to see her since she was twenty-four.  

            "Please," he whispered, "please."  He nuzzled her neck and desperately wanted to grab hold of her and pull her to him.  

            To his surprise she took a step backward and out of his semi embrace.  She shook her head her eyes nearly swimming with tears as she turned away from him.  She'd never rejected him before, never.  He watched her unsure of what to do.  The bottle of whiskey sloshed in his free hand before dropping the porch floor.  The contents began to spill from it in a steady stream.  

            "Are you going to let all that pour out or are you going to come inside and share it with me because believe me when I say I need a drink right now."  

            Angel reached for the bottle saving most of the amber liquid and fell into step behind her as they walked into her house.  He had never been in there before, always she had come to his home, followed him to his world.  She had never once invited him into hers.  

            Her house was dark, even when she turned the light on there were corners he was sure were permanently cast in shadow.  He followed her down a narrow hallway and past a staircase and into a small kitchen.  She had a nice wooden table in the middle of the room with a decent set up around it.  She pulled out a chair and gestured for him to sit as she walked across the room.  Angel sat down ignoring the way the chair creaked under his weight.  He watched her as she stretched to the upper cabinet and pulled out a couple of shot glasses.  Her loose black shirt lifted slightly as she stretched revealing a patch of tantalizing skin.  He remembered the way it felt under his fingers, the way she burned him.  

             "I'm not going to have sex with you."  

            Angel pulled his eyes away from the revealed skin and to the back of her head just as she turned around.  There wasn't really anything he could say to that.  He could deny that that was why he had came to see her in the first place, but it would be a lie.  He could tell her he was sorry, but she wouldn't believe him, he could leave, but he didn't want to.  

            She walked back toward the table and set the two glasses beside Angel's bottle of whiskey.  She sighed, "I'll talk though, talk and share your whiskey because as I see it you owe me the liquor and I've never been able to just turn you away."  

            She picked up the bottle of amber liquid and poured a small amount into each glass.  Angel watched pick up her glass and immediately drain it.  She winched her face contorting as the burning liquid rushed down her throat.  She gasped when she was finished and looked at the empty glass shaking her head.  "I don't think I've ever had anything that tasted like that."  

            Angel picked up his own glass and drained it the burning slight if there was any at all.  "He's coming out, Kate."  

            Kate turned to him and refilled her glass and then his, "When is he not coming out Angel, you've been telling me for years."   She was bitter and hardly sympathetic.  

            "Closer," Angel swallowed, "he hasn't been out since…" he paused, "Molly, but today I almost…I."  

            "Was it Spike?"

            Angel nodded and stared at his glass his eyes narrowing slightly as he remembered, almost like watching a dream the fight he'd had with Spike.  He wanted to forget it not talk about it.  He just wished Kate would let him get what he'd come for.  He knew that it made him sound like a complete bastard, but Angel didn't much know what he was doing anymore.  

            "When is it not," Angel asked snorting and downing the liquor.  He could feel all of it rushing over him.  He choked.  "I don't know what to do."  

            Kate didn't come to his side and he felt more alone in her presence then he had in years.  Tears, he hadn't cried in years.  He guessed he hadn't done a lot of things in years.  Kate still didn't come to him and he leaned into his hands and tried to drown out the sounds of his sobs.  

**Almost ready for a little reunion…so get ready for that next chapter.****  Thanks for the reviews.  I really appreciate the feedback.  I hope I'm not dragging this out too much, also Buffy will remain entirely conscious the rest of the story, lol, I just noticed she's been passing out an awful lot.**


	7. Tell Me Truths, Tell Me Lies

**Bright Lights**

By: Peanutbutter 

**Chapter  7**** 'Tell me truths, tell me lies'**

~~~~~~~~`````****

Trenton pushed his way through the woods barely catching a glance of Zarah as she plunged further into the forest.  Nothing stopped her in her element.  They had been traveling steadily since sunrise, making good time, but not good enough for Zarah.  She would travel a good mile in front of him hopping back to check on him every thirty minutes or so.   She'd just made her round.  

            Trenton stepped over a large tree root and pushed some hanging vines out of his line of sight.  He hated the woods, stupid gigantic trees, and untouched tall grass, open meadows, different smells, strange sounds.  At least in the remnants of the city of the city he it was like underground.  He was surrounded by walls, sounds were masked, but in the woods he was definitely out of his element.  

            The foliage was growing thicker by the minute and Trenton pulled out his machete and started hacking at the thick vines and tree branches.  He'd rather not use Isa for something so trivial, though she wouldn't have protested.  He just for some reason, he thought it degraded her.  Trenton pulled the sharp blade back and brought it down on the plants ripping them to shreds.  In moments he was moving through at a steady pace, if not a slow one.  The foliage still wasn't thinning.  Sweat started to build on his forehead plastering his hair to his head.  After fifteen minutes of hacking he came to a complete stand still.  The vines, somehow, had woven themselves into a thick wall.  It looked like a hand woven basket and he wasn't really looking forward to pushing his way through it.  

            Trenton put his hands on his hips and stopped.  Isa could sense his discontent and began humming angrily the blade actually vibrating against his back.  "I'm not going to cut through this."  Trenton said mostly just to hear his own voice.  "I'll just go around."  

            Tossing the machete from hand to hand, he turned around to walk past the blockage.  The funny thing was that he couldn't really see an end to the wall.  He only walked a couple of feet before turning around and walking back the other way.  The other direction was the same a wall.  Isa was still humming unhappily and Trenton was beginning to wonder whether it was from mere disappointment or that she sensed something he didn't.  Isa's sic sense had saved his life more than once.

            The woods had gone silent.  He had complained about the noise earlier, he was regretting the complaint now.  The silence was worse, way worse.  He'd walked this way a thousand times, or so he thought, and never come across this wall, never heard the woods so silent.  He replaced the machete at his hip and reached over his shoulder drawing Isa.  Her blue glow was faint, discrete, but she was still humming unhappily sending vibrations up his arm and through his chest.  

            "What is it?"  He whispered desperate to hear something besides his own voice.  Where was Zarah?  She was always around when something freaky was happening; at least she had been in the past.  There was no way she could have missed the wall.  

            Trenton closed his eyes and let the sword fall to his side.  He had training to deal with this.  He'd spent years tuning his skills for just such an occasion.  He shut everything out, his fear, his apprehension and focused on himself.  Slowly he let his energy well inside his body pooling it in his chest.  In moments he felt his body relax and he sent his energy outward, letting it roam over the surroundings rushing through the trees faster than he could run.  He searched for whatever it was that was making him uncomfortable.  His energy raced in every direction until he felt it.  Crawling two hundred and thirty feet in front of him and ten feet on the other side of the wall, it shifted.  

            Trenton turned until he was facing the source of his energy line.  Refocusing all of it directly at the disturbance he could almost make out its shape.  It was one four legs.  It was hunched over its back arching upward and sliding down suddenly as his spine plummeted downward to its haunches.  Its legs were shaped like a rabbit, superior for jumping.  Its feet extended outward with thick curved claws that dug into the ground as it walked.  Trenton's energy rushed upward again and over the rounded head of the beast.  Its neck was a straight line from the upward arch of the spine and a slight slope to its head.  Its mouth opened as he watched it creeping along the wall, a triple set of sharp tearing teeth meeting him.  It was pacing, smelling.  Trenton watched it for a few moments as its nose rose upward sniffing.  It turned his face looking directly at him and its mouth opened.  Then it was gone.  

            Trenton shook his head breaking his concentration.  He opened his eyes and raised his sword just as the beast he'd seen leaped over the wall and on him.  Isa roared but she was knocked from Trenton's grasp and thrown across the forest floor.  It'd moved so fast.  Trenton grabbed hold of its head pushing its dangerous teeth away from his face and shoved it off him.  He rolled to his feet and into ready position just as the beast jumped on him again.  

            Trenton brought his leg up catching it in the soft gray flesh of its stomach and propelling the demon backward.  It took no time to recover and before Trenton could blink it was on its feet again, growling and snapping at him.  Isa was too far for him to get to and every time he pushed the beast away it was on him again, trying to rip him to pieces.  He reached for his machete pulling it free and slashing at the demon.  It dodged every attack.  No matter how Trenton moved or jumped the demon dodged him.  He knew he couldn't keep the fight up.  His arms were getting tired and his legs were starting to ache as he attempted to ward off its lightening attacks.  

            Trenton jumped to his left sweeping out with his sword.  He missed, again, but this time he was too slow to dodge the retaliation.  The demon's jaws sank into the flesh of his machete wielding arm.  Trenton was able to contain his cry of pain but the machete dropped from his grasp and he could do nothing but beat helplessly on the demon's back hoping it would let go.  The demon shook its head like a dog playing tug a war.  Trenton was lifted off the ground.  He could feel the flesh ripping, hear the bones breaking.  

            Trenton didn't know he'd blacked out until Zarah's war cry pulled him awake.  He opened his eyes just as she was leaping over the wall, her body covered in various cuts and scrapes.   That explained why she was late.  She drew her cross bow aiming it at the beast still feasting on his arm.  The first arrow hit it squarely in the back.  Thankfully it let go of his arm leaving it a mess of bleeding flesh and broken bones.  

            The fight was over quickly for Zarah.  She could match the monster's speed and obviously she knew their weak spots.  She shot it in the right shoulder and smiled with satisfaction as it roared and died.  

            "He wore his heart on his sleeve," Trenton whispered and giggled uncontrollably.  "His heart…shoulder."  Trenton's eyes rolled back in his head and everything went black.  

~~~~~~~~~`````

            Angel woke with his face stiff from crying and his back aching.  In an attempt to alleviate it he rolled to his side.  His hands immediately shot out to stop his fall when he rolled off the couch and hit the floor with a loud boom.  He was sure the entire house shook with the fall, but then again the room was still spinning and he was no longer moving.  Angel blinked a dull ache starting in his temple racing across his forehead and through his sinuses.  With a groan Angel rolled onto his back willing the pounding to stop.  

            "So you finally woke up."  

            Angel opened his eyes to see Kate leaning over him looking entirely too chipper for someone who had been just as drunk, if not drunker than he was last night.  He vaguely recalled her leaning over the table laughing hysterically.  Where had he been at the time?  Oh yeah on the floor, maybe he had been the drunk one.  

            "That stuff I gave you really knocked you for a loop, thought you were a real drinker," she smirked.  "Want something to eat?"  

            Angel started to shake his head, but regretted it as an ache raced through his skull.  Instead he whispered a short, "Shoot me."  

            "It wouldn't kill you."  She mused still leaning over him, but thankfully blocking the torture of the light from stinging his eyes.  

            "Then stake me."  

            Kate moved and Angel shut his eye.  "How much did I drink?"  

            "A lot, I stopped less than half way through the bottle.  You on the other hand finished that and started in on the stuff I had here.  You drank off of it.  You own me thirty creds."  

            Angel rolled to his side still feeling crappy but more willing to move.  Kate was standing over the stove cooking something.  Angel sniffed the air, bacon.  He didn't remember the last time he'd been that drunk, but judging by the way his memory was like Swiss cheese he didn't guess it would make much of a difference.  If it had happened before he wouldn't remember it.

            "Are you feeling better?"  

            Angel watched her remove the bacon from the stove.  She stuck her fingers under the faucet washing them off then wiped them on the butt of her pants.  He'd never watched her do anything like this.  He'd never really watched her be a real person.  The thought disturbed him.  Was she supposed to be making breakfast for a family?  He imagined a few children sitting around her small table kicking their feet back and forth as they waited for their breakfast, sipping their orange juice.  One had dark hair like Kate, nearly black, the other had lighter hair.  She laughed at them a smile making her lips curl upward, her eyes sparkling.  

            "Did you hear me, are you feeling better?"  

            Angel pulled his eyes away from the empty table and to Kate.  She was smiling, but it didn't reach her eyes, it wasn't like the smile he'd just imagined her with.  Was he the reason she wasn't married, the reason she didn't have kids?  He didn't doubt it for a second.  Kate was beautiful, she could have anyone.  

            "Why didn't you ever get married?"  

            The smile, though fake, fell from her lips immediately and she dropped her plate of bacon on the table with a loud bang.  The toast followed in a similar angry toss.  She no longer flowed through the kitchen, her movements were jerky and uncomfortable, suddenly she seemed to be very aware of the fact he was watching her.  

            "I can see that you are, or you wouldn't have asked that."  Kate plopped down in a chair her back facing Angel's prone body.         

            Angel got to his feet.  He felt stupid lying on the floor watching her.  

            "I was just wondering."  

            Kate sighed heavily and dropped her bacon on top of her toast.  "You think you're the reason I never got married?"  

            Angel was silent but he walked to the table pulling out a chair just across from her and sat down.  His eyes were on her fingers as he picked at the corners of her toasted sandwich.  Her nails were so well kept, her hands smooth.  

            "Not everything is about you."  

            Angel looked up not sure if he should feel hurt or not.  "I didn't mean…" 

            "You did, and I'm pretty sure some part of you would feel happy to know that I never got married, never really dated because I was waiting for you."  

            "I didn't…"  

            Kate wasn't finished and wouldn't let him speak, "You may not have, but huh, you don't always know what you're doing.  I'm not her all right.  I'm not Buffy and god I know it."  She dropped her sandwich on the plate and pushed away from the table.  "I'm going to take a shower."  

            Angel wanted to grab her arm and pull her back.  He wanted to tell her it wasn't about Buffy it had never been, but it would have been a lie.  She was a substitute.  Sure she looked nothing like Buffy, physically, but Kate was strong where other women were weak.  She stood up to him even if her strength was no match.  She was more like Buffy than he'd ever admit.  He had originally been attracted to her for it, had called her to him because he was hurting because of it.  That wasn't why had stayed with her, not why he kept coming back, there was something else, something he had only ever found with Kate. 

            Angel jumped to his feet and followed her path through the house.  By the time he found the bathroom the shower was already running and he was pretty sure she wouldn't be happy with him barging in on her.  He wouldn't mind it, he missed her physically, but the gesture would only make things worse.  Kate didn't hate him, not yet, but she was awfully close.  Angel backed away from the door.  He had made things so bad between them.  It was best if he left.  He didn't think to leave a note but grabbed his discarded shoes and shuffled out the door and back toward the upstairs base.  He still needed to figure out what it was Trenton had been hiding, and if he could apologize to Spike.  He had a mission, a job, and none of this was part of it, or at least he liked to tell himself it wasn't. 

~~~~~~`````

            Buffy woke and immediately tried to jump to her feet, but her arms and legs were tied down.  She twisted sideways trying to pull herself free but the chains dug into her flesh and the pain was enough to make her stop, at least for the moment.  The room was empty, unlike the last two times she'd woken up.  The girl was no where in sight, though a stack of book in the far corner showed that she had been there recently, also the stale scent of cigarette smoke was a dead give away to Spike.  

            She hadn't been too out of it to not notice his changed appearance, longer hair, different clothes, a sword strapped to his side.  Those were details she didn't understand, but then again being tied to the bed was the problem she needed to remedy first, then she'd escape, or try to find Xander.  Some where possibly trapped in this hell.  Buffy twisted viciously to the right trying to snap the bed post but it held despite her pulls.  A pull to the left showed the same sorry fate.  The chains were strong and the bedpost surprisingly as sturdy.

            As Buffy was trying the chains on her ankles the doorknob began to turn.  Buffy still shutting her eyes and fraying sleeping, hoping it wasn't Spike.  The vampire would be able to tell the difference and she desperately wished she'd listened to Giles' boring lecture on relaxation, concentration, and a bunch of stuff she'd thought was useless.  She'd get her chance as soon as she got free.  Thankfully it was the girl, carrying more books.  

            Buffy kept her lids semi closed and watched her drop the book, quietly, on the table and begin to thumb through them.  She didn't look like a vampire and nothing told her to be wary of her, other than the fact that she seemed to be a little too friendly with Spike.  That could mean anything, maybe she was a slave, some how he could be controlling her.  The girl looked meek, her skin pale and her body shape thin.  She was also short, hardly five foot and her hair was a blinding red.  Freckles dotted her cheeks but over powering her face.  She looked harmless enough.  She'd take her chance.  

            "Hey!"  

            The girl jumped nearly falling out of her chair and turned toward Buffy her hand on her chest and her other at her hip.  A dagger seemed to be attached to her side.  Maybe not so meek after all.  

            "You're awake," she whispered then cleared her throat, "Spike said we had to tie you up, sorry about that."  

            "Are you working for him?"  She asked.  

            "Working for Spike," the girl snorted, "I don't work for anyone.  I'm just…"  

            Buffy cut her off before she could finish, "Listen let me go and help me find my friend and I'll get you out of here.  I have friends in Sunnydale they'll fill me in on what's happened to L.A. and I'll fix it.  If all that can happen in two days I'm pretty sure I can fix it in just as many."  She paused, "well the rebuilding not in the bargain, just killing the demons, starting with Spike."  Buffy pulled on her chains just let me go.  

            The girl seemed to pale, even more than before, "I…I…" she looked to the door and back to Buffy.  "We're not the bad guys."      

            "What do you mean you're not the bad guys?"  Buffy exclaimed fighting to keep her voice low.  "You're working with a vampire, known as William the Bloody, and he's tied me to a bed, me the Slayer, and Xander is missing."  

            "You're a Slayer?"  

            Buffy grinned, "Yeah now let me up."  

            "I can't." 

            "Why," Buffy started.  

            "You see, luv, that would cause a lot of problems, for me mostly."  Spike sauntered through the door grinning like made his hands shoved in the pockets of his olive green cargos.  

            "Spike, you bastard," Buffy pulled on her chains, "where's Xander, what have you done?"  

            Spike raised a brow, "what have I done, nothing, you on the other hand, that's a better question."  

            "Me, I haven't done anything, but as soon as I get free I'll be sure to remedy that." Buffy quipped and twisted her arm, trying again to pull free.  All she was accomplishing was making bruises on her wrists and ankles, nothing was budging.  

            "She asked about Xander," Mika whispered.  

            Buffy frowned, the girl was going to be no help.  

            Spike turned to her, "Xander's dead, luv."  

            She flew into a rage her arms turning spastically as she tried to get up.  "You bastard, you fucking bastard, I'll kill you." There were tears in her eyes as she tried to get free.  Xander had saved her; somehow, he'd saved her carrying a sword and wielding it like she'd never thought he was capable.  She wasn't going to have to chance to ask how and it was all Spike's fault.  With a roar she ripped her right wrist free.  She could feel the warm blood running down her arm and onto the sheets.  Before she could do the others Spike was on her pinning her free arm to the bed and holding the other down, making it impossible to pull it free. He sat her on her stomach restricting her movement and her breath.  She stopped after bit more struggle.  As soon as she stopped struggling he lifted off her lungs allowing her to breathe.  

            "Dammit get some gauze!" He yelled sending Mika out the door at a run.  

            Spike released her still bound arm and grabbed hold of her bicep and let go with his bloodied hand.  He reached toward the end of the bed pulling the sheet up and ripping down the side with his teeth and free hand.  

            "I didn't kill Xander you silly bint," he spat all the while wrapping the strip around her bloodied arm, "he was dead long before I even returned to the United States."  

            Buffy was silent as she watched him work, her chest still heaving with her exertion.  She was still weak from her earlier wounds.  His face was bent in concentration but the pale, pink scar bisecting his face diagonally mesmerized her.  When had he gotten the scar, and his hair…? It was past his ears and the bleach had long since grown out of it.  She knew it wasn't dyed, there were no roots showing.  If there was something about Spike she could rely on it was his consistency of wardrobe, black t-shirt, black jeans, black boots, black leather duster, and maybe a red shirt.  What was with the army look, cargo's and gray t-shirts.  What was with the freaky sword at his side?  

            "What going on?"  Buffy couldn't stop her voice from shaking, but she remembered Hamel's strange way of speaking, his confusion when she talked about planes.  She knew the destruction she'd seen in L.A. couldn't have happened in a couple of days.  She didn't know what was wrong but she had a feeling it was far worse than she'd originally thought.  

~~~~~~~~~~````

            Spike looked back to her face when he heard the helpless tone of her voice.  She hadn't sounded like that since, well he'd never heard her voice so weak and defeated, not even when she'd faced off against Angel, her lover, her everything.  Just like Dru had been to him, like Molly had tried to be.  He released her hand feeling she wasn't going to hurt him.  

            "What happened to L.A?"  She whispered her lips shaking.  

            "That's what happens when a city is left to its own devices for nearly a hundred years, nature starts taking over again."  Spike lifted himself off her body back to his feet standing just a few feet from her side.  

            "You're lying," she replied, but he could hear the uncertainty in her words, the fear.  

            "Am I?"  

            Buffy shook her head, "I saw Xander.  I saw him, he saved me."  

            Spike snorted, "Genetics, luv, the whelps blood runs through Trenton's, the boy who saved you, veins, unfortunate for him he came out looking just like his great, great gran-dad."

            "The girl," Buffy whispered already knowing why her red hair had screamed at him.  

            "From Willow and Oz I believe, not sure on that one.  It might just be the one; I never really thought to ask."  Spike shrugged.  

            "How do I know you're not lying?"  Buffy asked her face hardening again.  

            The bint sure was thick, Spike mused, and refusing to believe that everybody she knew was dead.  He guessed it was probably hard, but then again he didn't much care.  "Right I made it all up, just to torture you, and for kicks I dropped a nuclear down on Los Angeles.  'Side how do I know you're not lying.  You're supposed to be dead, luv, and unless you've spent the last hundred years frozen you should also be covered in a thick layer of wrinkles."

            Buffy was silent digesting he guessed.  It was a lot to take in, but he still doubted she believed it all.  She was a slayer after all being cautious was part of her job.  

            "No, um, it's nothing, Spike came by l…last night checking and…um…"  

            It was Mika.  Spike whirled around tearing his eyes from the Slayer and to the door.  He knew that voice, the sound of those lumbering shoes, the shuffle.  God, he wasn't ready for this yet.  "Shit!"  Spike cussed and jumped for the bed yanking the comforter up and over Buffy's face.  

            "What are you doing!" she yelled trying to push him off.  Her free hand grabbed his hair through the blanket and yanked.  

            Spike yelped and tried to dislodge her.  If she'd just be fucking quiet, he tried to elbow her in the stomach but she yanked harder pulling him against the bed.  He thought she was going to pull his bloody hair out by the roots.  

            "Angel, really, you don't need too…"  The words were cut off by the sound of the door being thrown open.  Spike couldn't see what was going on.  The Slayer had him out of view and a bloody grip liked hell on his head, he was sure he was going to be bald in a matter of seconds.  The grip on his head suddenly loosened and he knew she'd seen him, knew he'd seen her.  Fuck! Things had just gotten more complicated.  

            "Angel?" Buffy asked in disbelief.  She paid no attention to Spike, who was still lying across her stomach.  Spike sat up and looked forward.  Angel was gazing at her a look on his face that Spike hadn't seen in years.  

            "God, Buffy?" 

            Spike put his hands on his head, "Fucking hell!"  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~````````       

**What do you think?**


	8. Tell me that you're real

**Bright Lights**

By: Peanutbutter

-bit more cursing in this chapter than usual, mostly it's Spike, when this Spike is angry he has quite the potty mouth

**Chapter 8** 'Tell me that you're real'

~~~~~~~~````````   

            The response was immediate; Angel vamped and lunged for the Slayer's prone body.  He fell on top of her with a might growl and ripped the restraints from around the bedposts.  He hauled her up holding her by the neck her toes barely touching the bed.  She chocked and sputtered but her arms never made a move to stop him.  Spike watched, dumbstruck, this wasn't really what he'd expected.  He'd thought a bit of tears would have happened then the sickening hugging and kissing, before they'd even found out what she was.  Angel was nearly crazy with rage.  The blond girl's face was turning red and there were tears running down her cheeks, still she didn't struggle, in shock maybe, or unwilling to hurt him again.  

            "Are you going to do something?" Mika yelled her eyes wide with fear.  

            Spike glanced at her and back to the spectacle of Angel and Buffy, eternal lovers, forever and ever.  He snorted.  Crydon, hummed angrily at the display, but it did nothing to sway him.  If the two of them were going to duke it out, that was fine with him.  If the girl was dead he wouldn't have to deal with her.  It would have been more interesting if she'd fight back though.  

            "You sent me to hell, you fucking bitch!"  Angel screamed his face still vamped and he raised her higher effectively cutting off her air supply.  

            Spike stopped thinking it was amusing.  That face that voice, fuck not again and twice in two days.  Angelus was awake and pissed off.  The girl wasn't going to fight him off and he didn't want Angelus on the loose.  Letting out a cry, he lunged for the bigger vamp popping him in the jaw.  The brown haired vamp's grip on the girl loosened and her feet touched the bed.  Angel hit him again this time burying his fist in Angel's side.  He dropped her crouching sideways and clutching his stomach.   Buffy dropped to the bed coughing and crying, dark blue marks already making themselves known around the pale skin of her neck.  

            "You," Angel hissed turning his vamped face to Spike.  

            "Fuck," Spike mumbled and tried to block Angel's first punch, but he had been distracted and it hit him in the face flinging him threw the air.  He hit the table in the corner sending Mika's books and papers into the air.  The table cracked in half and Spike hit the ground.  Before he could get up Angel was on him again.  He blocked the first punch with his hand and managed to graze Angel's cheek with his other fist.  Before he could do much else Angel suddenly stopped his eyes rolling up for an instant before he rolled off of Spike.  

            Spike jumped to his feet, grabbed Angel's arms and put them behind his back.  "Snap out of it!"  He growled.  

            "I think I got him good," Mika whispered the remainder of Trenton's only other lamp in her hand.  "Maybe that got him back."  

            "Hope so," Spike knew Angel was still conscious but he was silent, probably just coming back to what he'd just done.  "How's the girl?"  

            "All right I guess, I don't think she can talk."   

            "Let me go, Spike."  Angel mumbled softly.  

            "What you gonna say to convince me?"  

            "Angel," the voice was weak, scratchy nearly inaudible.  "Angel, I'm sorry, I didn't want to I had to, please."  

            "Dammit," Spike cursed when he heard the sounds of Angel's response.  He let go of Angel's hands only to let the man fall to the floor.  This was something he'd been hoping to avoid.  This did nothing but complicate things.  

            Angel got to his feet his eyes falling on the girl he'd nearly choked to death.  He look shattered, too shattered for tears.  Angel's eyes never left her, the way she crawled toward him tears pouring from her green eyes, she pleaded and begged forgiveness, convinced she'd committed the sin, that she deserved the punishment.  Spike turned away from her Angel was, somehow, easier to watch.  

            "Buffy?" he asked voice somewhat calm.  

            "Angel, please I thought, I thought you were…"  

            Angel backed away his shoulders hitting the doorframe in his haste to get away from her.  "I can't do this," he whispered shaking his head and then he was gone.  

            Spike cursed and followed him out the door.  "Mika," he barked over his shoulder, "keep the girl here, don't let her do anything!"

~~~~~~~````

            Angel felt sick.  It was more than a hangover, the blood he'd consumed this morning turned to a block of ice in his gut threatening to run its way up his throat.  He gagged as he rounded a corner afraid that he was actually going to do it, he stopped.  His hand clutched his stomach and he closed his eyes breathing heavily hoping that the feeling would pass, it didn't.  It only got worse as what he had just seen, what he had just done washed over him.  

            He remembered seeing her, a flash of golden hair and her blazing hazel eyes.  Her voice had made him freeze.  Then he'd seen her, the way he remembered, Buffy in all her glory.  She'd been gone so long, but he'd never forgotten her, not the curve of her jaw, or smooth texture of her skin.  Then there had been nothing, nothing until Spike was pinning his arms to his back and cursing.  His next image of her was more than he could handle, crawling on the floor, broken, blue bruises adorning his throat.  She called his name and he saw her dangling from his tightening grasp as what he had done came back to him quickly. 

            Angel gagged again, but this time the blood rushed up this throat, burning as it resurfaced.  It coated his teeth and tongue in a foul taste of old congealed blood.  It splashed onto the floor, covering the tops of his black shoes and spotting his trousers.  His hand flew to the wall to support him, but apparently he wasn't finished yet the next round wasn't nearly as vibrant, mixed with the remaining alcohol in his system, it was slightly pink.  

            "That's just disgusting." 

            Angel took a breath the smell of the vomited blood making his eyes tear.  He didn't need this, not right now.  "Go away."  

            "Wish I could, but alas I can't."  

            Angel turned away from the wall his legs feeling shaky.  He stepped over his puddle and leaned against the opposite wall.  He let his head fall between his knees as he tried to gain some control.  

            "Listen, mate, I know this is a bit of a shocker I was tryin' to keep her away from you, until I figured out who she was."  He paused.  "Obviously that didn't work."  

            "I did it again."  Angel whispered he'd become Angelus and this time he'd been nearly as bad as Molly.  

Spike was silent and Angel knew he was thinking the same thing.  Angel looked up finally catching Spike's eyes.  "What's going on?" 

            Spike snorted, "I'd be happy to know."  

            "That's Buffy," Angel breathed, her name feeling foreign on his tongue.  It'd been decades since he'd uttered it.  

            "Still up for debate," Spike answered.  

            "I know it's her." 

            "No you don't, you want it to be though.  That's exactly why I didn't want you to find out.  When it comes to her you never could think straight.  Falling in love with a Slayer, soul, or not, what the hell were you thinkin'?"  

            "No, I know her."  Angel whispered, "I touched her, I watched, I tasted her, I know her Spike, and God I can still smell…" he trailed off into silence.  "Where'd she come from?"  

            "Trenton found her fighting some Farlocs in the middle of town.  She was pretty beaten up and she passed out.  He brought her here, wanker, she could be anybody, anything.  She could be here to bring all of us down."      

            Angel looked down the hall, past Spike and his annoyed expression and defensive stance, to the hall where Buffy was, or maybe Spike was right and it was just some form of her.  "I couldn't control it.  He came out and all I could do, I didn't, I didn't even know what I was doing."  

            "Yeah, figured, or at least when you yelled at her about sending you to hell.  I knew you didn't blame her for that, at least Angel didn't.  Why do you think Angelus has a tendency to remember every little thing you do, but you, Angel, have such a problem recalling his actions?"  

            Angel was silent he'd never known the answer to that question.  "You're entirely too calm about the entire situation."  

            "I figured you're being enough of a pansy for the both of us." Spike retorted.  "Besides I already had my freak out.  We're going to give her some sort of spell, see what she's about."  

            "Do it."

            "Don't be such a bossy bastard, we were getting' to it."

            Angel didn't have enough energy to say anything back.  He felt empty, lost, and still sick, like there was yet something else trying to work its way out.  Thought all of it the most disturbing thing was Sesa, she was silent, not one hum or vibration.  She'd been silent all day.  The sickness welled inside him again as he thought of her song and how it'd calmed his nerves in the past.  Maybe he'd finally silenced her, driven away with the evil half of him that still dwelled.  Silently, he pulled her out of her sheath to settle across his lap.  Her glow was dim.  He could barely catch a twinge of her green aura surrounding the sharp blade.  

            "Listen, let me take you back to your cabin, right, get some rest, forget 'bout this for a while."  

            Spike, trying to be nice, Angel smiled feeling the urge to laugh.  His fingers coasted over the cold metal dispelling the aura where he touched, making the color flare outward.  Silent, and cold, Sesa was dead to him right now.  

            "I'm sorry."  Angel could hardly believe the words coming out of his mouth.  He waited for a response but there was none, and Sesa grew dimmer, his despair thicker.  Just when he thought Spike had left a hand wrapped around his bicep pulling his hand away from the cold blade.  He followed the pull as it yanked him to his unsteady feet.  Sesa fell to his side still gripped in his left hand, still silent.  

            "Come on, mate, lets get to bed, a bit of rest might do you good."  

            Angel followed Spike's pull never letting his eyes leave the silent sword.  Was this how it was to end, his weapon silent, the fight gone from him, and a shadow posing as his love standing over him with a stake?  Worse yet him shifting threw the blood and carnage he barely remembers committing, a dead Sesa beside him, alone, forever.

~~~~~~~`````

            Spike needed a drink, or a fight, or a bloody fucking smoke, but he wasn't going to get any of that at the moment.  When he'd signed up for this whole gig he didn't think he'd be babysitting the humans, and the soulful puppy.  Dammit this was not something he'd ever wanted to do.  He wanted to stop the fucking apocalypse and go the fuck home.  Spike snarled and slammed his fist in the wall making a huge dent in the metal.  His entire arm hummed from the impact but he ignored it.  

            Angel was a mess, holding that sword to him like an anchor.  Spike didn't know what to do about it.  He knew keeping the brooding vamp away from Buffy was going to be next to impossible.  Not only would the poof want to see her again, possibly going all Angelus, but the girl would want to see him too.  He needed to find out once and for all who she was.  If she was evil he'd kill her himself, damn the consequences.

            Spike shoved his way through the door to Trenton's room.  He ignored the crying.  He smelled her anguish, the salty scent of her tears, but he didn't let it distract him.  

            "Mika," he snarled, "get that spell ready."  

            "Spike, I don't think…" 

            "Don' think," he growled, "just do it.  We don' have time to wait around any longer."

            He watched Mika get to her feet settling the crying girl on the bed.  Buffy looked broken, perhaps worse than Angel was.  He really didn't want to deal with any of this.  Spike went to her hauling her up by the arms.  To his surprise she pulled away from him.  

            "Don't touch me."  She whispered vehemently.  

            "Then sit yourself up!" Spike spat back, slinging her arm out of his reach in disgust.  She watched as she wiped her eyes and slowly rose to her feet.  Her neck was nearly black with bruises.  "Now!"  Spike snarled.  

            "Right, Um," Mika held a volume in her hands, "but she has to stand still."  

            "I'm no standing for anything," Buffy spat her voice sounding strong despite her injury.  "I'm sick of these games, not knowing what going on, I'm getting out of here."  

            "You're bloody well not," Spike argued and lunged for her.  Thankfully she was still weak and her reaction time was slow he his arms around her shoulders pinning her arms to her sides.  She tried to kick him but he fell onto the bed and wrapped his calves around her legs to hold the struggling girl in place.  

            "Do it!" He screamed over her yells of protest.  

            "Spike, I don't think, I mean you're not supposed to be there…"  Mika trailed off.  

            "Just do it, kitten," Spike tried soothingly, "It'll be alright."  

            Mika seemed to calm at the nickname and nodded.  She turned to the spell and began to chant.  After the first few words a bright crackling purple energy raced around the two forms.  Buffy was no longer yelling, but still trying to break free.  Spike swallowed wandering if it had been such a brilliant idea after all.  It was too late to reconsider.  The sparking purple electricity popped in his ears making him wince.  It grew wider surrounding the both of them completely.  Then Crydon started to sing.  It was loud, and anything but comforting.  The pitch of his song was nearly painful as he wailed in and out of high decibels.  His body began to shake and the Slayer wrapped in his arms shook with him.  He should have taken the bloody sword off.  

The song grew higher making him wince.  He wanted to let go of her, but his muscles were locked.  The Energy washing over him racing through his skin making him twitch and jerk.  "Oh shit," he cursed as a bright yellow light rushed at him from across the room, blanking Mika out of existence.  It was black and for a horrifying second he thought he'd been blinded.  

"Angel?" 

Spike turned his head to pick up the location of the voice.  It was Buffy, but when had Angel gotten back.  The words were muffled but the feeling he received her not.  They washed over him making his chest twist in anguish; his knees buckled making him drop to the floor, sorrow, love, pain, guilt, anger, everyone of them too strong for him to take.  He gasped as if to catch a breath and even though he knew he didn't need to breath he was seized with panic when he could draw none.  Images flashed across his brain followed by violent emotion.  

_Buffy, sword in hand, stood over a confused Angel, both of them crying.  Behind them a vortex whirled to life.  Pain as the sword ripped through her lover's chest and he was pulled into the depths of hell, no longer Angelus.  _

'I can't breathe' Spike thought his hand going to his throat trying to push the air into his lungs.  'I need to breathe.'

_Short pink waitress uniform with grease smudges on the apron.  A hand grabbing for her, empty numb.  A portal, hell.  Buffy hits the ground surrounded by demons with sharp teeth and electric clubs.  _

Spike jerked his body convulsing.  He was going to die from lack of oxygen, the only vampire you need air to live.  

_Splattered in blood she fights off the last demon and jumps back through, barely over a day since she's left __L.A.__  Buffy awakes surrounded by destruction, confused she wanders.  _

This was it, Spike knew it, he closed his eyes the fight gone he'd suffocated. 

            "Spike, Spike!  Spike wake up, Spike!"  

            Spike jerked his eyes flying open.  He was back in Trenton's room, Buffy; no longer struggling was still locked in his tight embrace.  Immediately he took a breath, air filled his lungs expanding his chest, the girl in his arms stirred.  

            "Are you all right?" Mika was leaning over him her eyes wide with fear tear brimming just near the surface.  "I don't know what happened.  I thought I'd killed you."  She chocked.  

            Spike could say nothing, he just breathed, thankful that he could do it.  Crydon was vibrating happily at his side, so different from the piercing song he'd been playing earlier.  Buffy was breathing too, her breaths matching his.  He was soothed by the rising and falling of her chest, by the steady beat of her heart.  He shut his eyes just listening.  

            "Spike?"  

            Spike opened his eyes looking to the witch girl again.  He couldn't speak.  

            "Spike, what happened?"  

            It rushed over him in an instant, everything he'd seen, everything he'd felt.  He opened his arms the girl sliding from his grasp to the floor.  He'd seen it, all of it.  Why she was here, where he'd been, she was the real Buffy, shit.  He looked from Mika to Buffy and backed away from the blond, all of it was too much.  

            "Spike," Buffy whispered, speaking for the first time, "I'm sorry about Molly."    

~~~~~~~~`````

Trenton woke to the crackling flames and the disturbing cricket chirping in his ears.  He was cold.  He shivered, trying to remember exactly what had happened, why his shoulder was pounding, and his body was shaking.  Zarah appeared over him her face half cast in shadow, an orange glow tinting her cheeks.  She didn't smile, but frowned.  She grabbed the blanket that had apparently pooled around his feet and pulled it over his body.  No wonder he was cold.  

            "Awake," she whispered looking him over for a moment.  

            Trenton opened his mouth, it hurt, his throat dry and scratchy.  He coughed feeling as if the dry skin was cracking and peeling.  He couldn't stop the more he coughed the more it hurt, but the more he had to.  A cup was pushed to his lips and he nearly cried at the glorious taste of water as it slid down his throat soothing him immediately.  He drank blindly finishing the cup full.  When she pulled it away he nodded at her.  

            "More."  

            Zarah grinned and disappeared from his view for an instant before reappearing with a nearly full cup.  She pressed it to his mouth again and drank deeply draining the cup in seconds.  This time he felt sated though his arm was till throbbing and he couldn't move it.  

            "What happened?" He whispered suddenly cold again.  

            "Demon," Zarah answered and scooted closer kneeling next to his head petting his hair.  "I killed it."  

            Trenton closed his eyes trying to remember, but everything was jumbled.  He remembered something, a sword.  His good arm went shot out grabbing at his side.  Isa was there, humming under his fingers, asking if he was all right.  He relaxed remembering the rest in a wave, the hopeless fight and his rescue.  The drop was tomorrow, he should be preparing, but it was so hard to think, to stay awake.  Slowly even though he didn't want to he slipped back into unconsciousness.   

**Okay sorry about the little delay.  I wanted to get this out Tues. but, alas, it wasn't meant to be, so here it is.**


	9. How they came to be

**First and for most I need to apologize for not posting sooner.  I started a new job just after I posted my last chapter. I started a new job, working at a ranch, and it totally kicked my ass for a couple of weeks.  I was exhausted and too drained to even think about writing.  I've adjusted a little and I think that things will start to be back on schedule with a new chapter every week.  I'm really, really sorry and hope you forgive me for it.  **

**Bright Lights**

By: Peanutbutter

**Chapter 9** **'How they came to be'**

Spike knew there had been enough people storming in and out of rooms like spoiled children that hadn't gotten their way, but he couldn't take it, god he just couldn't.  From the mouth of the Slayer, his nemesis, his enemy, spewed words of regret.  He just couldn't take Molly's name on the blonde's lips, the sympathy that couldn't possibly be real.  She had no idea, yet he knew that she did.  If she had seen half the things he had then she knew, more than he ever would have revealed. 

            Nothing was sacred, or secret here, everything had a way of rushing out the more you tried to hide it.  Spike balled his hand into a fist as he stalked down the hall toward the hatch to the outside.  Most likely he'd find nothing to vent his frustrations on but being in these confining metal walls was driving him insane.  He wanted to be blissfully drunk, but he'd done that he other night, and judging by Angel's vomiting display he'd done it even more recently.  There was shit to be done and whether he liked it or not he was the fucking sucker left in charge.  He had to stay sober and alert. 

            Spike punched the access code in violently making the keypad shake and rushed out as soon as the doors opened.  He was enveloped in the night air in an instant and just as quickly he was calmed.  He heard the doors slide shut behind him and walked across the ground stepping over chunks of concrete, streetlamp.  Night was what he'd been made for.  Vampires were supposed to live in it.  They were supposed to hunt in it.  Spike let his game face slip into view relishing the thrill that raced up his spine.  There was nothing to take it out on.  The streets were silent except for the crickets and the eerie wind that whistled through the skeletal shapes of once proud sky scrapers of downtown L.A. 

            The only thing that even gave a semblance to being normal was what was still shining brightly, eternally overhead.  He could almost give up losing the sun for the bright burst of color the stars cast across the sky illuminating it like never before, and the moon…  Its magnificence was like none other, something he couldn't describe to anyone but another vampire.  Spike wandered through the darkness trying to keeps his mind empty but it was it was next to impossible.  So much had changed in the last few days and of course none of it was for the best. 

            He didn't know how long he walked until he stopped.  There were spots of green grass shooting out of the ground everywhere and some places were completely taken over, the concrete eroded and soft dirty caring life.  Spike stopped at the first patch wide enough to hold him.  He laid back the soft, new grass tickling his cheeks.  They felt cool against his skin and he watched the stars as they moved over head and all the while losing the battle to keep his mind blank. 

            _Spike jumped though the hatch, following Angel, his hand semi holding his side.  He'd been hurt in the most recent battle and Angel still didn't trust Spike enough to give him the access code, and if Spike was at all honest, which to be honest, mostly he wasn't then it was a good plan.  Right now it was just bloody inconvenient.  He'd joined there ranks, sort of, about 20 years ago, long enough to gain a little trust, or so he'd think, but no.  Given he hadn't actually proclaimed his love and loyalty to the good cause; he helped, when helping helped him.  _

_            The scales were tipping, the demons taking over the humans finding themselves outnumbered.  It hadn't taken long for the hellmouth to over run after the current Slayer was killed and the watcher's council next to obliterated.  In mere months __America__ was nearly over run.  It was odd that demons had remained hidden for so long and suddenly it was an odd occurrence if you didn't see one jogging the streets, chasing a human.  At first it'd been funny, and then not so.  When it became harder and harder for him to find a meal he started to have second thoughts about this whole hell on earth gig.  He kinda liked things the way things had been.  He kinda liked humanity, not that he'd ever admit it.  It became apparent that survival was going to depend on something he'd never thought he'd do again.  He was going to have to join the good guys, become a bleeding white hat and save the fucking day.  Dru had split, still convinced he was crazy, when he'd told her his plan.  He'd tried to explain that it was for the best, but she'd hear none of it.  He hadn't heard from her in nearly thirty years, sometimes he missed her.  He hardly had anyone to talk to and even if Dru was sometimes too space to understand him she always listened.  _

_            "What's he doing here?"  _

_            Spike looked up surprised that he'd been so lost in thought he'd missed their stopping in front of the infirmary.  Molly had her hands crossed over her chest glaring at him.  She didn't like him, not one bit.  She might of if he hadn't tried the things he had on her.  Tried to eat her once or twice, felt her up once and got a pretty sharp set of medical scissors in the arm for the effort and more so recently he was just obnoxious.  _

_            Spike stuck his tongue between his teeth, "Happy to see me, pet?"  _

_            She rolled her eyes her and turned her head her brown locks falling around her shoulders with the turn.  She looked at Angel ignoring Spike completely.  _

_            "I asked you not to bring him here anymore, unless it was dire, and if he's got enough energy to snark," she glared at him for emphasis, "then he's fine."  _

_            "I know and it's bad," Angel confirmed.  He as still holding his gore covered sword in his hand.  He never put her away without cleaning her blade thoroughly.  _

_            Spike watched the blade catch the light and glint with every move Angel made.  He would never admit it, but he was jealous of that sword, and more so jealous of Angel.  The sword captivated him, promised him power.  He hoped he'd find one; they were after all popping up everywhere.  He followed the good guys around to change his luck with food and to have to power over one of those swords.  _

_            "Ow!" Spike yelled and jumped away from Molly's warm hands as they pressed on his side.  "Watch it!"  _

_            "How deep does it go?"  Molly asked not believing she'd missed the wide and sharp piece of metal sticking out of this stomach.  _

_            Spike smirked and turned around.  The back of the sharp protruded from his back very close to his spine.  "Bad enough for you Doc?"  _

_            Spike was happy to at least see sympathy on her face as she appraised him.  "I can see why you came.  You pull it out at the wrong angle and you're paralyzed."  _

_            Spike's jaw dropped and he looked to Angel, "You didn't say it was THAT bad!"  _

_            "I didn't want to worry you." Angel said with a shrug.  _

_            "Don't worry," Molly said, "do you really think I want your undead ass squeaking around the infirmary for god knows how long in a wheel chair?  I can fix it."  _

_            "Right," Spike followed Molly into the room suddenly scared.  Spike didn't want to admit it; he didn't get scared no, not Spike.  One mistake and he'd be immobilized, for how long there was no telling.  He didn't think he could take that, not again.  Caught, trapped, helpless.  He didn't want to ever feel that way again.  _

_            "Think I should just leave it?"  _

_            "What?" Molly spun away from her medical instruments looking at him strangely.  "What the hell are you talking about?" _

_            "Nothing," Spike sputtered, "So, bloody well get on with it.  I hate stayin' in this soddin' place longer than I have to."  _

_            Molly smirked.  _

_            Spike groaned and rolled his eyes.  _

_            "You're scared aren't you?"  She was so near laughter that Spike almost jumped from the table and ran, but to tell the truth he was starting to ache and his legs were tingling unpleasantly, like they'd just fallen asleep.  _

_            "Fuck you," Spike growled.  "Just do it."  _

_            "Oh, poor little Spike for once he's at my mercy.  Not such the 'big bad' now are you?"  She grinned and flicked the end of her needle and headed toward him.  _

_            Spike shuddered, how much did he really trust this bird?  She hated him; she'd off him as soon as the chance arose.  "Forget it," he said suddenly jumping to his feet and ignoring the pang in his side and ways his legs nearly refused to move, "I'll take my chances, pull it out m'self."  _

_            "Don't be stupid," Molly snorted, "I'll get it out, get back here."  _

_            "No, I…" Spike trailed off.  Something wasn't right.  His vision was beginning to black, his legs were buckling.  "Shit."  He cursed but was unable to stop his fall to the floor.  _

_            "Spike?"  Molly called.  "What's wrong?"  _

_            "Can't," he chocked, "can't move."  The world went black and he was sure he was doomed, trapped, caught, and eviscerated again.  He'd rather but dust than helpless. _

_            Spike woke with a bright light shining his eye.  He blinked turning his head away from it, his pupils stinging.  _

_            "Sorry about that."  _

_            Spike turned over to see Molly putting her small light into her pocket and marking something on a chart.  He was still alive, but afraid.  He didn't want to try and move himself for fear that he'd be stuck.  He didn't feel any pain, but that was bad, pain meant that he could at least feel.  _

_            "How bad?" He asked barely able to keep his voice from cracking.  _

_            Molly was over him again a grin on her face.  "You're fine, really, got everything out no damage.  The sharp was pressing on your spinal cord, but nothing serious, at least nothing serious now.  A little bruising, but I gave you some pain meds to take care of that."  _

_            Spike turned from her and closed his eyes as he attempt to move his leg.  His toes twitched when he asked, his leg lifted from the bed.  He grinned almost laughing with relief.  Slowly he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the hospital bed.  _

_            "So I can just get up, leave?"  _

_            Molly nodded, "Yeah, just take it easy, too much strain will kill you later when those pain pills start to dull."  _

_            "Right," Spike got to his feet and took an experimental step forward.  His eyes fell on Molly.  He'd always found her annoying, coltish in her femininity not quite knowing what to do with herself, hardy attractive, just amusing to watch, but she looked different today.  Her face was clear except for a few faint freckles dotted across her nose.  Her mop of dark brown hair pulled back on the nape of her neck.  Her eyes usually anything but extraordinary sparkled.  Suddenly Molly was beautiful.  _

_            "So here's the bottle, take a two a day, no more."  She looked at him pointedly, "and no alcohol."  _

_            "Bugger that," Spike replied breaking out of his reverie with the revelation._

_            Molly pulled the pills from his reach, "I mean it.  All that will do is make you feel like shit, won't kill you obviously, but might send into some sort of coma."  _

_            "So concerned about me pet," he grinned a little and noticed a slight red flush on her cheeks before she tossed the pills at him.  _

_            "Hardly."  _

_            Spike had never seen it before.  He didn't know quite what he was going to do with that information yet.  He could seduce her, fuck her to get his rocks off, work out some built up frustration.  Gain her loyalty and use her to get some power.  The list was endless, but, for now, he was just going to wait, see what happened.  For a long time he wouldn't have thought about it, but plunged head first into whatever was sure to happen.  Perhaps Angel and all his anal retentive tendencies had rubbed off on him.  That all together was an unsettling thought.  He pushed it out of his mind as he watched her.          _

            _"Thanks for the drugs, pet, and the patch."  He called as he watched her bend over a microscope trying her best to ignore him, but even from this distance he could see the blush.  Why had he never seen it before?  _

            Unconsciously, Spike found himself fingering the spot, where if he were human, a jagged scar should be.  That was when he'd noticed Molly, well noticed her as anything other than a toy.  It was the first time he'd ever looked at a human and was left with an unsettling curiosity.  Maybe that was why he'd sought her out after that.  Talked to her, annoyed her in an almost affectionate way, and in it all; somehow, forgot about Dru, at least for a while. 

            He'd never told anyone about it.  It had been odd enough at the time.  And still it didn't always sit well with him, especially when in the end…  Spike tore his hand from his side and jumped to his feet pacing the ground.  Now, now it was likely the fucking slayer, his fucking enemy knew about all of it.  She knew, she knew, the cunt, she knew that he'd cried over her…  He screamed.  Crydon screamed with him. 

            Blood, so much blood, her hands clutching at him staining him…

            __

            _It had been going on for weeks.  He'd look at her, grin, or make a lewd gesture, and watch her reaction.  Sometimes it was a blush, a roll of her suddenly beautiful eyes, and more interestingly, sometimes there was a smile.  Her lips would curl up, the corner of her mouth quirking upward in an odd and extremely interesting fashion.  It was on one side of her face, the left side and then there was this tiny little dimple in her cheek.  Her eyes would crinkle.  He watched her with apt fascination as if for the first time discovering something.  In a way he was.  _

_            "Stop it alright."  _

_            Spike blinked pulling his eyes away from her mouth.  It was the first time she'd spoken to him directly in nearly an hour, and that was funny because he'd been staring at her for nearly as long.  "What?" _

_            "Stop staring at me alright, you're creeping me out."  Molly replied.  She only looked at him for an instant before slamming her book shut and getting up from the table.  _

_             "Not starin'," he argued and got up as well leaving the unread book on the table.  _

_            "Yeah?" Molly asked.  "Well it seems like you've been doing a whole lot of not staring these past couple of days."  _

_            Spike was silent as he watched the back of Molly's head.  "Can't help it." He confessed.  _

_            Molly spun around books clutched to her chest.  "And why is that, not getting enough of the bagged blood?"  She pulled a stake out of her lab coat pocket and pointed it at him.  _

_            She was no Slayer, her eyes her shooting across his face, quivering almost as much as her body.  Her hand shook just enough for him to see it.  She was sweating, spouting fear.  She was no Slayer, yet there was something in her eyes that told him she wouldn't hesitate to use the stake gripped in her palm.  The fact impressed him, and Spike wasn't an easy fellow to impress.  _

_            "Don't want to eat you, pet."  Spike took a step back to prove his point holding his hands up.  _

_            "Then why?" Molly didn't lower her stake but she wasn't nearly as afraid as she had been.  _

_            Spike cocked his head to the side, "Don't know, pet."  He responded.  It was the most honest statement that had ever come out of Spike's mouth.  The fact that it was to Molly bothered him.  _

_            "Well, figure it out and stop it!"  Molly growled and put the stake back in her pocket and turned around.  _

_            Spike watched her back for nearly a minute before he left the room confused and frustrated.  He'd been spending way too much time around here, the white hats where twisting his priorities.  _

__

_            Spike stayed away for a week.  He tried not to think about Molly, tried to ignore the way his dreams about her had turned erotic.  He tried for a week, and came crawling back with the undeniable knowledge that he liked, maybe loved her.  William the Bloody, the vampire, was in love with a human, it was fucking laughable, but Spike couldn't laugh about it.  _

_            He stopped staring at her, and started talking to her.  Before he knew it she as talking back, laughing at him.  Spike forgot about the power around her, forgot his motives for helping, and oddly Angel's sword was no longer a source of envy.  Angel was barely a blip on his radar._

__

_Spike had finally been given the code to the 'base'.  He punched it in happily wondering what had changed their minds.  He didn't think that he had become anymore helpful than usual.  Though strangely he didn't feel like robbing them blind.  He and Molly were supposed to scout for supplies.  Oddly enough she hadn't protested when Angel had suggested it and odder than that he hadn't either._

_"Molly?"  Spike called as he stepped into her office.  It was dark.  The lights that usually buzzed so annoyingly over head were off and it appeared abandoned.  He was about to leave and check her room when he heard breathing.  It was loud, but broken.  Spike stepped further into the darkened room and saw her tray of medical supplies knocked onto the floor.  The sterile instruments were no longer so sterile, lying in a puddle of blood.  Test blood.  He closed his eyes for a moment, Angel's.  Spike cocked his head to the side and strode toward the wall and flipped on the light.  _

_            "So the prodigal son comes to call.  Run out of money, do you need me to throw you a party perhaps?"  Angel asked as he appeared from in the doorway of the second room of the lab.  He looked odd, smiling, his hand clasped around a bright white rope.  _

_            "Funny," Spike said a little wary at the expression on the vampire's face.  He hadn't seen that look in years, more than that it was centuries.  "Where's Molly at.  I was s'pposed to meet 'er on the s'rface and she didn' come up?"  _

_            "Did you miss you're little girlfriend, Spikey?"  He chuckled.  _

_            "S'not my girlfriend," Spike replied vehemently.  True she wasn't his girlfriend, but he didn't want everybody to know that he'd like her to be.    _

_            "Hurt his little feelings, reminding him of his long dead girlfriend, sweet little insane Dru.  She was crazy but she knew how to please me," he sucked his tongue in between his teeth.  _

_            What the hell was he playing at?  He was bringing up things Spike hadn't thought about in years.  Bringing up Dru, nobody talked about her.  Angel eyed him again making a lewd gesture with his hand, his tongue rolling in his mouth.  Spike charged then his anger having reached its limit._

_"You sorry bastard," Spike didn't even stop to wonder why Angel was acting the way he was, or even why he was taunting him about Molly.  Spike pulled the long blade at his side out only to stop short when Angel yanked on the rope in his fingers.  _

_            She tumbled out from the shadows landing at Angel's feet her mouth gagged and her brown locks sticky with blood.  Spike froze mid swing his sword quivering as he looked at her.  Her crystal blue eyes were red and puffy from crying and her lips were torn and bleeding.  What had he done to her? _

_            "Angelus," Spike hissed knowing immediately that it was true when what had once been Angel chuckled.  _

_            "Not nearly as good as Dru, not as much stamina," he yanked the rope making Molly groan and fall forward, "she kept passing out right in the middle of my lessons.  Had to beat her a little for that and it got a little messy." _

_            "What the hell…" Spike sputtered unable to draw his eyes away from the shining girl he had been watching.  She was broken.  "What the fuck is wrong with you!"  He screamed it unable to move as he watched her.  A hundred plus years of forgetting about Angelus rushed at him and all of it was new again.  The betrayal, the hurt, the savagery, especially to the ones Spike loved.  His fangs extended his forehead shifting.  _

_            "Ready to fight are we, William."  _

_            The name was thrown at him as an insult.  The Angelus he was always William, the stuttering poet, the bumbling killer, nothing he'd tried to do ever changed that view.  Angelus loved to remind William that he was second, always second.  Second to Dru and second to Angelus' fame, always.  _

_            "Fuck you Angelus!"  Spike screamed and started his charge again.  He didn't question how or why it had happened only that it had.  His eyes were tight on Molly.  She hardly responded, only did she cry out when Angelus pulled her hair back and pressed knife to her neck.  His sword, the glowing singing sword, Spike had always wanted was no where in sight.  The knife on her neck didn't stop Spike even when he saw and smelled the blood the blade was producing.  He wouldn't kill her, he wouldn't.  _

_            He was right.  Spike's first swing was blocked.  Angelus pulled himself away from Molly blocking the swing with the blade he'd had pressed to the girl's throat.  It was hardly a fair match between the sword and the blade and Spike smiled when Angelus backed a step and released Molly's rope.  _

_            "Run!"  He called at her even as he was preparing himself for another swing.  Angelus was ready this time and dodged quickly, already looking for a weapon, an opening.  Spike tried to keep his swings quick and consistent.  He had to keep Angelus busy long enough for Molly to get away.  He swung a third time.  This time Angelus turned from the swing easily planted his feet and swung under Spike's sword raised arm.  Spike grunted from the hit and ignored it as he prepared to swing again.  It hurt but it wasn't enough to stop him.  _

_            Spike looked over shoulder when his blade slid across Angelus' bicep slicing the skin enough to draw blood.  He was hoping Molly was gone.  To his horror she was still kneeling on the floor, gagged and silent.  "Run!" Spike yelled at her.  "Run, god dammit!"  She didn't move, didn't even flinch.  It was like his words hadn't reached her.     _

_            White hot pain flashed across his eyes and before he knew what had happened he was on his knees the sword flung from his clasped hands and sliding across the linoleum floor.  He'd waited too long.  Spike looked up again; she was still sitting there, her eyes on the floor, still, silent.  _

_            "You really think she's going to move?"  Angelus laughed and Spike turned around only to see the metal tray the older vamp had hit him with earlier as it was once again smashed across his face.  Spike could feel the bones in his nose shift and break as he slid across the floor, unfortunately in the opposite direction of his sword.   _

_            "I taught her well, broke her."  _

_            Spike could hear the words but there were still white spots in front of his eyes.  Spike coughed, trying to roll to his feet, blood splattered out of his mouth and splashed onto the floor.  _

_            "Just like I broke Dru," the words were vicious followed by a heavy boot in the center of the blonde's back.  Angel ground down making Spike gasp.  _

_            "Fuck you," Spike tried as his face was pushed into the hard floor.  The words were muffled but Angelus heard them.  He pushed hard.  Spike tried to buck upward, but the foot was on the base of his spine and every time he lifted upward pain shot through his limbs.  _

_            A heavy hand grabbed hold of Spike's head wrapping his fingers in the platinum locks.  Angelus removed his boot from Spike's back and replaced it with his knee, digging as his hand yanked him backward.  Spike was sure Angelus was going to rip his hair out.  _

_            "Even if you killed me and saved her, would you want her?  Because you know every time she looked at you, saw your vampire face, your fangs, she'd think of me, fucking her, raping her.  No matter what happens she'd always be mine, and you'd still be playing second fiddle, boy."  Angelus chuckled and smashed Spike's face into the floor.  _

_            "I'm not yours."  _

_            Spike hardly heard the words over the sting of the broken bones in his face.  It was encompassing, until a weight was lifted from his back.  Angelus wasn't on him anymore.  Spike rolled onto his back.  His vision was still blurry, his ears ringing, but he saw her clearly.  She was standing breathing hard her blood stained hands shaking.  Rolling at her feet was Angelus Spike's sword lodged in his side.  _

_            "Fuck!"  The injured vamp cried and started to pull the blade out.  _

_            Spike felt a surge of strength rush through his veins and jumped to his feet.  He had to fight the blackness as he got to his feet.  He was on Angelus before he could pull the blade out.  Spike grabbed the brown haired vamp's hands and pinned them to the floor with his knees.  He reached backward with his hand and pulled the sword out of Angelus' side.  He grinned when he heard the resounding scream.  _

_            "Time I did the world a favor and did you in."  Spike grinned manically and raised the sword plunging it into Angel's shoulder.  Spike felt the blade pierce the flesh and embed its way into the floor pinning the vamp even better than Spike physically could.  To his chagrin Angel hardly grunted as the sword ripped through his flesh in fact his laughed.  Spike grabbed the hilt of the sword and twisted harder, but it only made him laugh harder.  _

_            "Don't you see," Angel laughed, "it doesn't matter.  I'm always first.  I'll see it; it'll always be me who won, no matter what."  _

_            "You'll see it?" Spike snarled more disturbed that he found some truth in his tormenters words.  Whether they were true or not Spike believed them and that was truer than actual facts.  "You won't see much."  Before he could think about it Spike reached forward his hands digging into the flesh of the older vamp's face, trying desperately to shut out the sounds of his manic laughter.  _

_            Spike dug his thumb into Angelus' face, feeling the pop of the eyes as he skewered it with his thumb.  'Won't see anything, bloody fucking bastard,' he thought and dug harder.  He thought about Molly, thought about Dru, thought about his whole fucking life and dug deeper.  He would have done worse, but Angel's screams brought him out of his rage.  Angelus was screaming in pain.  _

_            Spike's thumb retracted from the socket with a squishy suction that made him cringe, almost shocked that he'd actually done it.  Blood dripped off all his fingers, flesh embedded under his nails.  Angelus was screaming.  _

_            "God, Spike, Spike?  What's going on?"  _

_            Spike released some of the pressure on Angelus' arms.  The vamp didn't try to get up.  He just sobbed._

_            "I…I see," Angelus looked up his face a bloody mess, one good eye.  Spike knew immediately what he was looking at.  Molly was standing over his shoulder.  "Molly?"  _

_            He spoke her name like a question, a whisper, with reverence.  Was it a trick? _

_            "Kill me, kill me please."  _

_            Those words made Spike stand.  Despite the pain in his face, the aching of his limbs, he couldn't do anything.  He couldn't kill this man, not Angel, Fuck, not like this.  He looked pathetic covered in blood, grieving, begging to be killed.  Angelus begged for nothing.  He deserved the pain, the loss of his eye, the blood, and stab wounds, the anguish of his soul as the sane half of himself returned.  _

_            "Please kill me."  _

_            Spike was sure there were tears mixed somewhere in blood running down his face.  His tears meant nothing.  _

_            "Pet, Molly?" Spike asked over his shoulder his eyes never leaving the broken Angel.  She came to his side, clung to him like Dru when she was scared, pressed against him, begging for shelter.  He was supposed to save her, but she didn't seem to realize he'd already failed at it.  Just like before, just like always.  "Let's get you cleaned up."  _

_            Spike left the room with the devastated cries echoing in his ears.  While it was better to kill Angelus, the only way to punish Angel was to let him live, let him live with the pain, let him feel sorry for eternity.  Leaving him wasn't mercy, it was worse than death._

**This has to be continued in another chapter.  This one is already long enough.  There will be more to this whole flashback thing.  I won't leave you completely hanging.   **


	10. Chapter 10

It's Kinda a plea here. Is there anyone who has downloaded part of this story? The tenth chapter mostly. I don't know how it got erased and well the rest of the story was lost and it's killing me that the tenth chapter is lost too. If you have it please please e-mail it too me at You have no idea how much it would mean to me. Please, please if you've seen it or have it email me the site or the chapter.

Thank you soo much,

Peanutbutter.


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